We are looking for a postdoc researcher in explainable artificial intelligence and machine learning
The research group ITEC at KU Leuven, campus Kulak in Kortrijk, and imec, is looking for a postdoc researcher in explainable artificial intelligence and machine learning to carry out strategic basic research.
Organizational unit
ITEC is a research group at KU Leuven and imec, Flanders’ high-tech research and innovation hub for nanoelectronics and digital technologies. On the campus Kortrijk of the KU Leuven, ITEC unites researchers from three different faculties (Psychology & Educational Sciences, Arts and Medicine) and four different disciplines (educational psychology, statistics, applied linguistics and machine learning). Researchers at ITEC conduct both fundamental and applied research on the design, development, and evaluation of personalized and adaptive digital solutions, aimed at helping experts and end users to make effective decisions informed by data analysis and visualizations. Primary application domains include education and training, media, and health.
The main focus of the AI and machine learning subgroup of ITEC is to apply existing and develop new machine learning algorithms to advance the application domains. In particular, we focus on supervised, unsupervised and semi-supervised learning. Key activities in the group relate to multi-label/target prediction, recommender systems, active learning, survival analysis and longitudinal data analysis; always with a specific attention to interpretability to increase trust in the AI models.
Project
The candidate co-supervises and further develops the AI and machine learning research line within the different application domains, by also carrying out pioneering research him/herself. This often involves collaboration with companies and across disciplines. In this context, he/she will co-supervise ITEC’s PhD students in AI and machine learning, is expected to actively participate in the recruitment of projects, and also to publish the results of the research in scientific journals and present them at international and local conferences.
The candidate will interact with researchers active in health or education. In the health domain, we are primarily focusing on clinical decision support systems. These tools often involve risk prediction models for medical conditions, where both accuracy and interpretability are of high importance. In the domain of education and training, we focus on decision support for learners and teachers/experts, and develop novel techniques for recommending learning tasks matched to the skills and interests of learners, for automated assessment of learning tasks that involve multiple skills (e.g. essays), and for predicting dropout in learning environments that require high self-regulation (e.g. MOOCs). In this domain, the candidate interacts with researchers in imec’s Smart Education research programme.
Profile
- The applicant must have obtained a PhD in machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer science or related fields.
- Excellent command of English is necessary (both written and orally). Knowledge of Dutch is considered a strong asset.
- Research experience in machine learning for education and training, or in another application domain within ITEC’s focus, is considered an asset.
- Research experience in one of the machine learning key activities investigated in ITEC’s AI and machine learning subgroup is considered a strong asset.
- Strong publication record.
- Experience with grant writing is considered an asset.
- Strong communication skills, leadership skills, high flexibility and a real team player.
Offer
In this role you will represent a prestigious research institute that focuses on excellence in research and tries to bring about positive social effects. You get the opportunity to develop yourself by learning about the EdTech and/or health landscape, within the (international) network in which we operate. This position offers flexibility, the opportunity to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment and to learn continuously. Your home office is located at the KU Leuven campus Kulak in Kortrijk.
We offer a full-time employment as a postdoc researcher for 1 year, extendible to at least 2 years after a positive evaluation. Given the broad network in which ITEC operates and the dynamic atmosphere within the team, more opportunities for extending these 2 years can of course also be sought.
In addition to a competitive salary, KU Leuven also offers a number of additional benefits, such as hospitalisation insurance, eco-vouchers, reimbursement of commuting expenses by public transport, inexpensive meals, a KU Leuven bicycle, the possibility of flexible working…
Deadline for application: August 18, 2019