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

Apply