Are you interested in working for one of Europe's leading research universities? Do you specialise in the topic of human/nonhuman (algorithmic) decision-making in public health, with extensive research experience in China?

The Departmentof Anthropology at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is seeking a postdoctoral researcher who will work within the research project HEALTH-AI, funded by a European Research Council Advanced Grant. The project is led by Dr. Roanne van Voorst. The postdoctoral researcher will be part of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) programme group Exploring Diversity.

The HEALTH_AI project empirically investigates how medical experts collaborate with algorithms. Together with our team (consisting of the Principal Investigator, 2 PhDs, an assistant and you, as the Postdoctoral researcher), we will study a multi-sited ethnography of a currently evolving revolution in global health systems: big data/AI-informed national health governance. We are interested in how medical experts collaborate with computer systems. When do humans follow, or deviate from algorithms? How do algorithms influence human decision-making? What other cultural and organizational factors are impacting upon the decision-making? The team will study this topic in 6 country cases, of which 2 (China and the UK) will be conducted by the Postdoctoral researcher. Besides doing fieldwork in China and the UK, the postdoctoral researcher will co-develop a methodological toolkit, to be tested and finetuned in collaboration with the other researchers.

What are you going to do

As a postdoc specialized in human collaboration with computer systems in the realm of public health, you will empirically investigate this topic through long-term fieldwork in China and the UK. You will work closely with the PI and two PhD researchers, to finetune theory on human decision-making works, in organisations where these humans make decisions in collaboration with computer systems. Moreover, together with the PI, you will co-develop innovative techniques attuned to research future scenarios. These methods will result in a gamified toolkit, as well as in an Online Open Massive Course.

Your work will include:

• conducting fieldwork in China and the UK;
• co-developing a methodological toolkit, drawing on literature review and consultations with methods experts across disciplines;
• engage in critical dialogues with fellow team members and contribute to theoretical innovations and data analysis of the larger project;
• writing single-authored and/or co-authored articles. The minimum requirement per year is one single-authored paper in a peer-reviewed journal and/or one co-authored paper with a fellow team member or with scholars in a relevant field;
• participating in and helping to organize conferences, workshops, seminars and other scholarly activities;
• contribute to popular dissemination of the research results, and undertake administrative tasks related to the project;
• be based in the Netherlands and take an active part in the research environment at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research;
• potentially: additional teaching tasks, but only upon availability and agreed upon in mutual consultation (max 0.1 to 0.2 fte).

You have:

• a PhD degree (or finalizing within the first months of the postdoctoral job, with a fixed completion date) in human geography, anthropology, STS, or other relevant social science;
• relevant ethnographic research experience in China, preferably in the realm of public health;
• interest in ethnographic research methods and methodological innovation;
• outstanding qualitative research qualities, particularly in-depth, semi-structured interviews, manifested in a high-Quality PhD dissertation and at least one (published, or submitted and accepted) international peer-reviewed publications;
• excellent competences in theories in human decisionmaking in the realm of public health as well as publications in (inter-) national peer-reviewed journals
• excellent proficiency in written and spoken English and Mandarin Chinese;
• an independent work attitude and ability and interest to work in a team;
• willingness to travel abroad for research stays, conferences and project-related workshops;
• strong organizational skills;
• affinity with coding and programming.

The position concerns temporary employment of 30,4 hours per week (0.8 fte). There is a small chance this is turned into 1,0 fte, in consultation. You would preferably be starting on 1 June 2023 or, in consultation, thereafter. The initial appointment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will then be extended by a maximum of 24 months (for a total period of 36 months).

Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience, with a minimum salary of €3974 and a maximum salary of €5439 gross per month based on a full-time appointment for a 38-hour working week (in keeping with scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.

A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioral sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.