The Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics (KdVI) at the University of Amsterdam invites you to apply for a PhD position on the project entitled `Colluding price algorithms’.

Project description

The project is about self-learning price algorithms: algorithms that are used by companies to learn optimal selling prices from accumulating data. For an increasing number of products and services, prices are determined by such algorithms. In principle, these are designed to set competitive prices; however, it is theoretically possible that said algorithms may learn to collude; that is, to form a price cartel. If algorithms are capable of this, then adaptations to the existing competition law may be necessary. You will investigate the existence of such colluding self-learning price algorithms, using state-of-the-art tools and techniques from game theory, statistics, and data-drive decision making.

You will also be involved in teaching in our Bachelor and/or Master programmes in Mathematics. An appropriate travel budget will be provided to attend conferences and present relevant publications.

The position is funded by an NWO-KLEIN grant.

• A Master degree in mathematics or a related discipline (such as econometrics) ;
• strong background in probability theory, statistics and game theory;
• interest in doing theoretically sound mathematical research with high societal relevance;
• fluency in English, both written and spoken;
• experience in teaching is a plus. 

The starting date of the appointment is flexible but should be no later than 1 October 2019.

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it can be extended for a total duration of 4 years. The appointment should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis).

Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,325 (first year) up to a maximum of €2,972 (last year). The annual salary will be increased by 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look at Working at the Faculty of Science.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

http://www.uva.nl/en/home

Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics

The Korteweg-de Vries Institute is the mathematical research institute of the Faculty of Science. The KdV Institute is responsible for mathematical research within our University. It also provides the lecturers and instructors for the mathematics teaching within the Science faculty (and some teaching outside this faculty), for which the teaching institutes carry the formal responsibilities.

https://kdvi.uva.nl/