PhD Position in Computing Sciences (Utrecht University)

Position Type: PhD Candidate (Full-time, 36–40 hrs/week) Duration: 18 months initial, extendable to 4 years upon successful assessment Faculty: Faculty of Science, Utrecht University Department: Department of Information and Computing Sciences Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Application Deadline: 9 March 2026 First Round of Interviews: 26 March 2026 Project Overview Part of the DECIDE project, a large-scale NWO-funded research initiative. Focus: Transparency, interpretability, and human-aligned AI in high-stakes decision-making domains (healthcare, mobility, education, law, ethics, public governance). Collaboration between Utrecht University (AI Technology for Life group), University of Twente (Philosophy section), and The Hyve (Open Science IT provider). Opportunities for secondments and interdisciplinary work across ethics, philosophy, and applied AI. Key Responsibilities Review existing Explainable AI frameworks and methodology. Develop a stakeholder-inclusive framework for high-stakes AI decisions. Implement and test frameworks in clinical or real-world settings. Contribute to teaching: workshops for bachelor’s, master’s students, and professional decision-makers. Collaborate with the research consortium across multiple disciplines. Candidate Profile Required Qualifications & Skills: Master’s in AI, Computer Science, Data Science, or related discipline. Experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch). Completed academic coursework in AI or ML. Strong communication, organizational, and collaborative skills. Interest in ethical, societal, and philosophical aspects of AI. Preferred / Advantageous: Experience with Explainable AI or Deep Learning. Interdisciplinary training or background. Courses in Psychology or Philosophy. Understanding of Dutch language (optional, for stakeholder engagement). Offer / Benefits Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 per month (gross, full-time, CAO NU scale P) 8% holiday pay + 8.3% year-end bonus Pension scheme, parental leave, flexible terms of employment Professional development, training, and participation in workshops Employment in a vibrant interdisciplinary research environment How to Apply Required Documents: Motivation letter explaining suitability for the position CV Certified transcripts (BSc and MSc) Names, emails, and phone numbers of at least two references Application: Apply via Utrecht University’s application portal Contact for Queries: Prof. dr. Sanne Abeln – s.abeln@uu.nl Application Deadline: 9 March 2026 If you apply for this position please say you saw it on Computeroxy

Position Type: PhD Candidate (Full-time, 36–40 hrs/week)
Duration: 18 months initial, extendable to 4 years upon successful assessment
Faculty: Faculty of Science, Utrecht University
Department: Department of Information and Computing Sciences
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Application Deadline: 9 March 2026
First Round of Interviews: 26 March 2026

Project Overview

Part of the DECIDE project, a large-scale NWO-funded research initiative.
Focus: Transparency, interpretability, and human-aligned AI in high-stakes decision-making domains (healthcare, mobility, education, law, ethics, public governance).
Collaboration between Utrecht University (AI Technology for Life group), University of Twente (Philosophy section), and The Hyve (Open Science IT provider).
Opportunities for secondments and interdisciplinary work across ethics, philosophy, and applied AI.

Key Responsibilities

Review existing Explainable AI frameworks and methodology.
Develop a stakeholder-inclusive framework for high-stakes AI decisions.
Implement and test frameworks in clinical or real-world settings.
Contribute to teaching: workshops for bachelor’s, master’s students, and professional decision-makers.
Collaborate with the research consortium across multiple disciplines.

Candidate Profile

Required Qualifications & Skills:

Master’s in AI, Computer Science, Data Science, or related discipline.
Experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch).
Completed academic coursework in AI or ML.
Strong communication, organizational, and collaborative skills.
Interest in ethical, societal, and philosophical aspects of AI.

Preferred / Advantageous:

Experience with Explainable AI or Deep Learning.
Interdisciplinary training or background.
Courses in Psychology or Philosophy.
Understanding of Dutch language (optional, for stakeholder engagement).

Offer / Benefits

Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 per month (gross, full-time, CAO NU scale P)
8% holiday pay + 8.3% year-end bonus
Pension scheme, parental leave, flexible terms of employment
Professional development, training, and participation in workshops
Employment in a vibrant interdisciplinary research environment

How to Apply

Required Documents:

Motivation letter explaining suitability for the position
CV
Certified transcripts (BSc and MSc)
Names, emails, and phone numbers of at least two references

Application: Apply via Utrecht University’s application portal
Contact for Queries: Prof. dr. Sanne Abeln – s.abeln@uu.nl
Application Deadline: 9 March 2026

If you apply for this position please say you saw it on Computeroxy

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