The PhD student is responsible for helping achieve this objective. They will collaborate with the supervisors, fellow PhD students, postdocs and international colleagues associated with the CreAI Lab (creailab.net).                                                                    

The research tasks will include collecting problem solving data with both humans and AI-models; developing methods to reliably and validly compare children’s, adults' and AI-models’ problem solving processes; and conducting cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis (e.g., item response theory, latent change score models) comparing shifts in how children and AI-models learn to reason.                                                 

Teaching is limited to 5% of the contracted hours, by assisting in courses and supervising (bachelor) thesis students.

A promising candidate has proven affinity with cognitive AI research, experience with data collection (including eye-tracking and/or neuroimaging) with people (in Dutch), cognitive modeling of human problem solving processes, mechanistic interpretability in AI-models, as well as extensive computer programming experience in R and Python.

Given that the project lies at the intersection of psychology, cognitive science, and AI, a successful candidate has an interest and the capacity to work and interact in a multidisciplinary team.                                                                        

Your experience and profile:

    • A master's degree with specialization in cognitive science, psychological methods or a related discipline.

    • Extensive experience coding in R and Python (or related computer programming languages).

    • Excellent written and spoken command of English and conversational command of Dutch.

The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours per week. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended to a total duration of 4 years, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events.

For this position the University Job Classification profile 'promovendus' applies.

Your salary will be €3.059 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3.881 in the final year, based on full-time employment and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.

We also offer

    • a position in which initiative and input are highly valued

    • an enthusiastic and warm team that is open to new colleagues

    • an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.