PhD position on the Application of Machine Learning in Finance & Accounting

There is a growing body of research focusing on vocal communication within the financial realm and highlighting the potential impact of vocal cues in financial decision-making processes. Nonetheless, there remains a significant research gap in understanding vocal interactions during companies' earnings conference calls. This research project will allow you to discover the importance of vocal communication, encompassing tone and body language, as factors that can significantly influence the perception and interpretation of the information presented. You will apply a novel data source, namely audio data from earnings conference calls, to scrutinize vocal interactions between company managers and financial analysts. The central question is whether the emotions conveyed through vocal tone can influence financial markets. The research will provide new insights into the dynamics of these interactions.

Are you eager to understand the intricate connection between vocal communication and financial markets? Do you have strong background in finance and accounting, and are you curious to combine this with machine learning and data analysis? If so, this Ph.D. position offers an outstanding opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that addresses a significant gap in the field.

We look for a highly motivated, enthusiastic researcher who is driven by curiosity and:

• Holds a Master’s degree or equivalent in finance, business administration, accounting and related fields;
• Possesses confirmed programming skills (e.g., Python, R, Stata);
• Has sufficient knowledge and interest in finance & accounting;
• Exhibits affinity with data analysis and machine learning;
• Is enthusiastic to work in an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented environment and team;
• Is able to do independent research and willing to develop writing and publication skills.

We encourage high responsibility and independence, while collaborating with colleagues, researchers, other university staff and partners. We follow the terms of employment by the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO). Our offer contains: a fulltime 4-year PhD position with a qualifier in the first year; excellent mentorship in a stimulating research environment with excellent facilities; and a personal development program within the Twente Graduate School. It also includes:

• Gross monthly salary of € 2.770 in the first year, increasing each year up to € 3.539 in the fourth year;
• Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme;
• 29 holidays per year in case of full-time employment;
• A training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will develop a plan for a suitable education and supervision;
• A green campus with free access to sports facilities and an international scientific community;
• A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid);
• A full status as an employee at the UT, including pension, health care benefits and good secondary conditions are part of our collective labour agreement CAO-NU for Dutch universities.

The HBE cluster is dedicated to encouraging a supportive and inclusive working culture. Our aim is that all job applicants are given equal opportunities. When we select candidates for employment, it will be on the basis of their competence and ability. To support the workforce diversity, we are open to offer flexible working conditions on an individual basis to support work-life balance, that may include contract of employment, working hours and location, or child care arrangements.

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