PhD position at the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation

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, musicology 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 ILLC currently has one PhD position available at the Faculty of Science starting on 1 September 2015. Applications are now invited from excellent candidates wishing to conduct research in a research area within ILLC that fits naturally in the Faculty of Science.

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;
• participate in the organisation of research activities and events at ILLC, such as conferences, workshops and joint publications;
• assist in teaching activities at ILLC.

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;d organisational skills;
• strong interest in a scientific career.

Further information

For general information, you may also contact the Chair of the Selection Committee:

• Professor Michiel van Lambalgen

Appointment

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of 4 years for 38 hours per week. In the first instance, a contract will be given for 18 months; if positively evaluated, the contract will be extended for another 30 months.

On the basis of a full-time appointment, the gross monthly salary will be €2.125 during the first year, rising to €2.717 during the fourth year, excl. 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end of year bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement for the Dutch Universities is applicable.

Job application

Applications for the PhD position should include a letter of motivation and your CV and, if applicable, a list of grades obtained for your Master (or equivalent) programme, as well as the name and contact details of one academic referee. Please supply this information in a single .pdf format (not zipped), using your initials and surname as a file name. At this stage an official certified document listing your grades is not yet necessary.

Please note that you may also apply even if you have not yet completed your Master's degree. If this applies to you we need a signed letter from your supervisor stating that you will graduate before 1 September 2015.

The letter of motivation should be a maximum of 1 page. Please comment on why you believe ILLC would provide the right environment for your PhD studies: describe the research you plan to do in some detail and how it fits the ILLC. Indicate which specific topics you would like to focus on in your PhD work, and please also indicate which of the three groups (Logic and Computation, Language and Computation, Logic and Language) you think would fit you best. Also indicate which members of the ILLC scientific staff you see as potential collaborators, supervisors, etc.

You are welcome to contact an appropriate member of the senior scientific staff at ILLC to discuss your plans before applying formally. 

Completed applications should be submitted by 23.59 hours (CET) on 5 May 2015 to application-science@uva.nl stating your name, vacancy number 15-125 and 'PhD ILLC' in the subject field. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Selection procedure

The selection committee will make a shortlist of candidates from all applications received. Candidates on the shortlist will be requested to send additional material (including a writing sample and a certified document listing your grades) by 17 May 2015. Interviews (if necessary, via Skype) are planned for week 24, from 8 to 12 June 2015.
No agencies please