PhD Fellowship at ILLC

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 interdisciplinary, 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.  See also the personal pages of individual ILLC staff members. Feel free to contact any researcher of the ILLC if you want to know more about the research conducted at the ILLC.

Project description

The Institute for Logic, Language & Computation (ILLC) at the University of Amsterdam is looking for a PhD candidate. It is the intention of the ILLC to embed this position in the newly founded Joint Research Center in Logic (JRC), a collaboration project between the University of Amsterdam and the Tsinghua University in Beijing. For this reason, the project must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• the topic of the project falls within the scope of the current programmes of the JRC;
• the project can be co-supervised by an ILLC staff member and a researcher in Beijing. 

The PhD candidate will be expected to fulfil the following tasks:

• complete and defend a PhD thesis within the official appointment duration of four years;
• regularly present intermediate research results at international workshops and conferences, and publish them in proceedings and journals;
• collaborate with the researchers in other relevant parts of ILLC and the University of Amsterdam in general;
• participate in the organisation of research activities and events at ILLC, such as conferences, workshops and joint publications;
• assist in teaching activities at ILLC in subjects relevant to the candidate's research activities.

Requirements

• A Master's degree with excellent grades in a relevant field, such as logic, computer science, mathematics, artificial intelligence, linguistics, philosophy, musicology or cognitive science;
• good academic writing and presentation skills;
• good social and organisational skills;
• strong interest in a scientific career.

Further information

For more information about the position, please contact:

• Professor Rens Bod (L.W.M.Bod at uva.nl)

Appointment

Appointment (1,0 fte) will be on a temporary basis for a period of four years (initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months and, after satisfactory evaluation, will be extended for a further 30 months). On the basis of a full-time appointment (38 hours per week), the gross monthly salary amounts to ~2,083 during the first year, rising to ~2,664 during the fourth year. The Collective Employment Agreement (CAO) of the Dutch Universities is applicable.

Preferred starting date 1 September 2014.

Job application

Applications should include the following information, in a single .pdf file (not zipped), using your name as a file name:

• a curriculum vitae;
• a letter of motivation (maximally 1000 words), explaining why you are interested in this position. Describe the research you plan to do in some detail, indicating which specific topics you would like to focus on, and how these fit the ILLC and the Faculty of Science. If your research does not fit the current research programmes of the Joint Research Center, you must provide the names of two potential co-supervisors of the project, one at ILLC and one in Beijing (you may contact ILLC staff members to help you with finding a potential Chinese co-supervisor);
• a list of all university courses taken, including a transcript of grades;
• a list of all university courses taken, including a transcript of grades;
• the names and contact details (with email address) of two academic referees , one of whom should be the main supervisor of your Master thesis.

Completed applications should be submitted by 15th May 2014 at 23.59 hours (CET), via application-science@uva.nl and should state your name and vacancy number in the subject field. Late or incomplete applications will not be taken into account.

You are welcome to contact an appropriate member of the scientific staff at ILLC to discuss your plans before applying formally. Please note that you may also apply even if you have not yet completed your Master~s degree.

Selection procedure

The selection committee will make a shortlist of candidates from all applications received. The (Skype) interviews are planned for the afternoon of 6 June 2014.

No agencies please