Postdoc in Sign Language Acquisition

Faculty/Services: Faculty of Science

Educational level: PhD

Function type: Academic Staff

Closing date: 10 October 2023

Vacancy number: 12099

Introduction
In this collaborative project between the University of Amsterdam and educational technology provider Prowise Learn, we will create a digital learning environment for Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT) and make it available to more than 300.000 children in the Netherlands, contributing to increased familiarity with NGT in Dutch society. This will also create a unique opportunity to investigate how children learn a visual language like NGT. Our digital learning environment will yield extensive language acquisition data, which will allow us to address fundamental questions in sign language linguistics and its acquisition. Thus, the project is expected to have substantial scientific and societal impact.

We are offering a position as postdoctoral research fellow in a multidisciplinary team that brings together expertise in sign language, language acquisition, language technology, and adaptive digital learning environments.

What are you going to do?

You will:
• contribute to the design of educational games in terms of content and game structure
• contribute to the creation of item-banks for the games
• add appropriate metadata to the items in the item-bank (e.g., iconicity ratings, phonological complexity)
• analyze the learning trajectories of children playing the games
• present preliminary project results at international conferences
• publish final project results in international journals
• contribute to the teaching activities of the institute, typically giving one course per year

What do we require?

You are expected to:
• have a PhD in Linguistics or Language Development (preferably with a focus on sign language acquisition).
• have at least basic proficiency in a sign language (preferably but not necessarily NGT).
• be knowledgeable about iconicity and phonological complexity in sign languages
• be knowledgeable about experimental design and statistical analysis
• be proficient in R (statistical programming language)
• have good communication skills (preferably also in Dutch)
• have an excellent written command of English
• have intellectual curiosity and passion, and motivation to share your knowledge with both academic and non-academic audiences
• have experience working in an interdisciplinary setting
• have good organizational skills

Our offer

A temporary contract for 28 to 38 hours a week, for a period of 12 months, preferably starting as soon as possible. The initial employment contract will be for one year. Contingent on a positive performance evaluation the contract will be extended with 12 months.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,226 to € 5,090 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

Questions?

Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation? Please contact: Beyza Sümer, b.sumer@uva.nl

About the Faculty of Science and the Institute for Logic, Language, and Computation
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 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 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 interdisciplinary, and aims at bringing together insights from various disciplines concerned with information and information processing, including linguistics, cognitive science, philosophy, computer science and artificial intelligence. ILLC offers an international research environment with world-class faculty in all of its areas of specialization.

Application

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize 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.

A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.
(for details, see: National knowledge security guidelines)

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 10-10-2023. You can apply online by using the link below.

Applications in .pdf should include:
• a motivation letter and CV, including a list of publications,
• two writing samples (in case of joint work, please explain your own contributions)

Please mention the months (not just years) in your CV when referring to your education and work experience. We will invite potential candidates for interviews, possibly online, in October/November.

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.