Postdoctoral researcher in computational logic or experimental semantics

The Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC) is a research institute at the University of Amsterdam, in which researchers from the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Humanities collaborate. Its central research area is the study of fundamental principles of encoding, transmission and comprehension of information. Research at ILLC is inter- disciplinary, and aims at bringing together insights from various disciplines concerned with information and information processing, such as logic, mathematics, computer science, linguistics, cognitive science, artificial intelligence and philosophy. Research is organized in three research groups: Logic and Computation (LoCo), Logic and Language (LoLa) and Language and Computation (LaCo). Check here for an overview of the research being carried out in the different groups. For the research carried out by the individual staff members of ILLC, see their personal pages via People at ILLC.

The Inquisitive Semantics group, part of the Logic and Language research program, is looking for one or two Postdoctoral researchers with an interest in building new bridges between inquisitive semantics and neighbouring fields, in particular computer science and psycholinguistics. More specifically, we are looking for candidates with an interest in one of the following:

1. computational applications of inquisitive logic in computer science, in particular in database systems;
2. experimental ratification of linguistic theories that have recently been formulated in inquisitive semantics (concerning, e.g., disjunction, questions, and question-embedding verbs), and further developing these theories guided by the obtained empirical results.

Project description

The Postdoc position is part of the VIDI project Inquisitiveness below and beyond the sentence boundary, led by Floris Roelofsen. The Inquisitive Semantics website contains more information about the aims of the project.

The postdoctoral researcher cwill be expected to fulfil the following tasks:

• regularly present intermediate research results at international workshops and conferences, and publish them in proceedings and journals;
• possibly co-supervise one PhD candidate;
• teach or co-teach at least one course per year at the ILLC;
• participate in the organisation of research activities and events at the ILLC, such as conferences, workshops and colloquia.

Requirements

Prospective candidates should:

• have or be about to obtain a PhD degree in a relevant field such as linguistics, computer science, logic, or philosophy;
• either have a strong background in logic-based computational applications, or in experimental semantics/pragmatics;
• have good academic writing and presentation skills;
• have good social and organisational skills.

Further information

For more information about the position, please contact:

• Floris Roelofsen

Appointment

The appointment will be full-time (38 hours per week) on a temporary basis. In case a single postdoctoral researcher is appointed, the appointment will initially be for one year with an extension for another year and a half on positive evaluation. In case two researchers are appointed, both appointments will be for 15 months.

The gross monthly salary will range from €2,532 in the first year to €3,996 (scale 10), excl. 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% annual bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities is applicable.

Starting date: 1 September 2016 (later starting date negotiable).

Job application

Applications should include the following information, in separate pdf files (not zipped), using surname, initials and a self-evident word as file names, e.g. , Smith J CV:

• a curriculum vitae;
• a letter of motivation (at most 1 page) explaining why you are interested in this position;
• research statement (at most 2 pages) detailing your research interests and experience;
• one or two representative research articles or drafts;
• the name and contact details (including email address) of two academic referees.

Completed applications should be submitted by 15 March 2016 to application-science@uva.nl, and should state your name and vacancy number 16-043 in the subject field. The committee does not guarantee that late or incomplete applications will be considered.

No agencies please