Are you interested in doing research on the interplay between AI and politics, and its societal consequences? Do you want to be part of a new Research Priority Area and work in an interdisciplinary team?

We are seeking for two ambitious postdoctoral researchers for the new, interdisciplinary Research Priority Area AI & Politics. As artificial intelligence (AI) diffuses through our lives, it reconfigures central aspects of politics and society as we know it. It affects political deliberation as well as how and to whom public services are delivered. It also transforms political issues into technical problems to be solved through private means, thus replacing or democratic institutions with private interests. Fuelled by rapidly expanding automated data collection, AI is an influential tool in the hands of the powerful, while also opening novel avenues for resistance.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences launches a Research Priority Area in 'AI & Politics' that will stimulate the interdisciplinary research in this field for a period of five years. The leading question for this RPA is: how does AI change contemporary politics, broadly conceived, and how is AI development and application itself shaped by political dynamics? The core team of the RPA currently consists of Claes de Vreese, Daniel Mügge, Hilde Voorveld, Theo Araujo, Petter Törnberg, and Marie Rosenkrantz Lindegaard. The postdoctoral researchers will be part of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) or the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), depending on the profile of the candidate.

What are you going to do?
The overall aim of the RPA is to strengthen and fuse the expertise of the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences about the interplay between AI and politics, and its societal consequences. This RPA embraces a broad definition of politics, spanning both formal and informal dynamics through which societal challenges and conflicts are processed in a variety of contexts. As a postdoctoral researcher you will play a key role in reaching these aims by conducting a research project on AI & Politics that focuses on at least one of the four dimensions in which AI challenges traditional political dynamics:

1. Investigating the impact of AI on politics
2. The politics of AI governance
3. How does (largely private) AI do traditional administrative “political” jobs
4. When, how and why is the use of AI politicized?

More extensive descriptions of these themes and potential topics and research questions can be found here: Artificial Intelligence & Politics - University of Amsterdam (uva.nl) This position gives you the possibility to shape your own research project within one of the four dimensions within the theme of AI & Politics.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Developing, conducting, and publishing empirical research on AI & Politics, and its societal consequences
• Presenting your work at (inter)national conferences
• Writing white papers and blog posts aiming to disseminate academic knowledge among relevant stakeholders outside academia;
• Contributing to the overall RPA AI & Politics program in terms of community building, events, research meetings, and activities;
• Helping to write grant-proposals;
• Note: There may be a possibility to be involved in teaching if the candidate would prefer this.

• A(n) (almost completed) PhD in one of the Social Sciences, such as Communication Science, Political Science, Sociology, or Human Geography;
• A clear and demonstrable research interest in the topic of the project;
• Scientific creativity and productivity, as demonstrated in recent publications in international peer-reviewed journals and peer-reviewed conferences;
• Excellent (empirical) research skills using social scientific methods;
• The ability, willingness, and commitment to do autonomous work in a multidisciplinary team that includes researchers from ASCoR and AISSR;
• Experience with organizing workshops, lecture series, or similar events;
• An excellent written and spoken command of English;

You are

• Intellectually curious and eager to learn;
• Passionate about contributing through your research to the RPA and knowledge on the interplay between AI and politics, and its societal consequences.
• Willing to learn and think across disciplines and integrate knowledge from different academic disciplines;
• A team player with strong interpersonal skills for building contact with colleagues and (external) stakeholders
• Proactive.

If the vacancy appeals to you, but you are doubting whether you might be THE person we are looking for, please do apply. We encourage all qualified applicants, particularly including minorities, women, people with disabilities, and members of other groups underrepresented in academia to apply. We wish to create a team in which members can contribute in their own, unique ways. Complementarity, not homogeneity, is what we are looking for.

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 24 months. Depending on your interest and the needs of the educational institutes of the department in which the candidate will be placed, it may be possible to extend the duration of the contract by adding up to 0.2 FTE of teaching in the appointment depending on approval from the teaching institutes. The duration of the contract will then be extended.

The intended start date for this position is 1st of January 2024 or later in spring 2024.

The gross monthly salary based on full-time employment (38 hours per week) and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities ranges from €4.332 up to a maximum of €5.929 gross per month (scale 11). We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.

What else do we offer

• access to research funds to conduct studies and attend international conferences
• a position in which initiative and input are highly valued
• an enthusiastic and warm team that is open to new colleagues
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

To work at the University of Amsterdam is to work in a discerning, independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterized by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society. Here you can read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

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

Would you like to learn more about working at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG)? Visit our website.