"PhD position on Depolarizing Climate Online Discourse with Argumentative Language Models"

Job Summary

We are seeking a candidate for a fully funded PhD position for the project DeCODA-LM, funded through the stimulation grant scheme of the Faculty of Arts. The project aims at developing tools using large language models (LLMs) for the correction of misinformation about climate change in social media. The successful candidate will develop innovative tools leveraging Computational Linguistics, Argumentation Theory, and Social Network Analysis to investigate how climate misinformation contributes to political polarization and assess whether AI-generated, argumentative-based corrections can reduce these effects.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research on the themes of the project and complete the PhD project in the specified timeframe (4 years).
• Present research findings at top-tier NLP conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
• Contribute to the teaching activities.
• Actively engage with the research environment at CLCG and Research Centre for Media and Journalism Studies.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Holds a Research Master’s or Master’s degree in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Linguistics, or Computer Science.
• Has excellent academic writing and oral skills in English.
• Has experience with large language models (LLMs) and state-of-the-art methods in NLP.
• Has a demonstrable interest in misinformation countering or climate communication.
• Is willing to acquire knowledge of Social Network Analysis methods and techniques.
• Has knowledge or experience in Argument Mining.
• Is willing to work independently in a results-oriented manner.
• Is willing to collaborate with the interdisciplinary team of the project.
• Is familiar with Python, PyTorch, Hugging Face Transformers library, and works efficiently with them.

What the Employer Offers

A temporary 1.0 FTE appointment for a period of four years. The candidate will first be appointed for twelve months, with an assessment after 11 months to decide on continuation. Salary ranges from €3,059 to €3,881 gross per month for a full-time position, depending on qualifications and work experience. Additional benefits include 8% holiday allowance, 8.3% end-of-year bonus, participation in a pension scheme, and favourable tax agreements for non-Dutch applicants. The PhD candidate is expected to conduct 0.4 FTE teaching and must be willing to move and reside in the Netherlands.