Scientific Programmer

Faculty/Services: Faculty of Science

Educational level: higher vocational education/university

Function type: Support Staff

Closing date: 10 February 2023

Vacancy number: 11103

Introduction

Are you an enthusiastic and creative software developer who cares about user experience, and are you looking for an opportunity to interact directly with scientists trying to make their research accessible to the general public? Then you might be a great addition to our team!

We are a research group operating at the interface of computer science and the social sciences, working on challenging problems related to group decision making. A concrete example is the design of fair voting rules for participatory budgeting (such as the buurtbudget in Amsterdam). To make the results of our research more broadly accessible we want to hire a scientific programmer to help us develop a portfolio of apps and interactive websites to showcase the methods we work on.

Great examples for successful software development projects in our field of research, computational social choice, include Spliddit and Whale.

What are you going to do?

You will work closely with researchers in the Computational Social Choice Group on a variety of software development projects directly related to ongoing research in the group.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• design and development of a demo to showcase the effects of using different voting rules for participatory budgeting on real election data;

• design and development of a portfolio of demos to support outreach activities in the field of computational social choice;

• organising and maintaining code repositories for the research group;

• providing general support for members of the group on matters related to software development.

What do you have to offer?

We are looking for a developer who is enthusiastic about producing beautifully designed software, who wants to work closely with people doing fundamental research, and who appreciates the importance of outreach activities aimed at increasing societal awareness of scientific findings.

Your experience and profile:

• BSc or MSc in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline;

• strong programming skills, including the ability to produce well-documented code;

• familiarity with Python, and ability to identify and pick up other tools as needed;

• strong communication skills and a supportive attitude.

Prior experience with UI/UX design is a plus.

The working language in our research group is English. Knowledge of Dutch (in addition to English) is an advantage but not required.

You will need to be based in Amsterdam (or nearby).

Our offer

We offer a temporary employment contract of (up to) 38 hours per week for a period of 6 months. Flexible part-time arrangements (possibly for a longer period) are also possible, particularly for candidates who want to combine this position with their studies. An extension of the contract beyond 6 months might be possible. This depends on performance and the availability of funding.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, will be in the range of € 2,471 to € 3,336 (scale 7). This does not include the 8% holiday and the 8.3% end-of-year allowance. The UFO profile Education/Research Officer is applicable. Please note that for this position we unfortunately cannot sponsor a visa. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging working environment at Science Park we offer multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on full-time) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;

• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;

• multiple courses on topics such as time management and handling stress, and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;

• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;

• partly paid parental leave;

• the possibility to set up a workplace at home;

• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two thirds of the contribution;

• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;

• help with finding housing (studio or small apartment) in case you’re moving from abroad.

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits? Then take a look here.

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC) is an interdisciplinary research institute that brings together insights from multiple disciplines concerned with the study of fundamental principles of encoding, transmission, and comprehension of information, such as computer science, AI, computational linguistics, mathematics, logic, philosophy, and cognitive science. The institute offers a friendly and international research environment with world-class faculty in all of its areas of specialisation.

The Computational Social Choice Group at the ILLC carries out research on the design and analysis of fair and efficient methods for decision making, particularly decision making in groups.

We are based in the beautiful city of Amsterdam, renowned for its historic system of canals, its laid-back cosmopolitan atmosphere, and its excellent connections to the rest of Europe and the world.

Any questions?

Do you have questions, or do you require additional information? Please contact:

• Prof.dr. Ulle Endriss, ulle.endriss@uva.nl

Job application

If you feel the profile fits you and you are interested in the job, then we would like to hear from you.

Your application should include the following information (in one single PDF document):

• Cover letter (max. 2 pages), covering your motivation for applying, your relevant prior experience, short descriptions of your own contributions to 1-3 software development projects you have worked on before (with links where possible, showing both code written by you and the working system), and your preferences regarding your starting date and number of weekly working hours;

• CV (max. 2 pages), including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and prior work experience.

Please submit your application no later than 10 February 2023 (end of day, Amsterdam time), using the link below. Please use the CV field to upload the PDF document specified above (and do not submit a separate document with a cover letter). We will only consider applications that are complete and that have been submitted in this manner.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

If you encounter Error GBB451, reach out to our HR Department directly. They will gladly help you continue your application.