PhD in Logic, Language and Computation

Are you interested in interdisciplinary research and would you like to work in an interdisciplinary research institute?  The ILLC is looking for an excellent PhD candidate who is interested in conducting research in an area within the ILLC that fits naturally in the Faculty of Science.

 

What are you going to do

You are expected:

• to complete and defend a PhD thesis within the official appointment duration of four years;
• to give regular presentations of intermediate research results at international workshops and conferences, and publish them in proceedings and journals;
• to collaborate with researchers in other relevant sections of ILLC;
• to participate in the organization of research activities and events at ILLC, such as conferences, workshops and joint publications.

Furthermore, all PhD candidates at ILLC are expected to make a small contribution to the institute’s educational mission, e.g. by working as teaching assistants for courses in their area of expertise, and by assisting with the supervision of student research projects.

 

What do we require

• 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; you must have obtained your degree by the starting date of the position;
• good academic writing and presentation skills;
• good social and organizational skills;
• a strong interest in a scientific career;
• fluency in English both written and spoken.

 

Our offer

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of four years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of four years). This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and Master students.  Preferred starting date 1 September 2021, and no later than 1 November 2021.

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

 

About us

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 a research institute at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) 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, natural language processing, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, music cognition, and philosophy.

 

Questions

Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation? Please contact:

• Floris Roelofsen

 

Job 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.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 13 June 2021.  You can apply online by using the link below. 

Your application should include the following:

• your curriculum vitae, listing at least:
  • full address and contact details;
  • previous education;
  • professional information (previous university (or relevant) employment);
  • language proficiency;
  • grants/honours;
  • conference presentations and publications, if applicable;
• a list of grades (transcript) obtained for your Master (or equivalent) programme; at this stage a certified document is not yet necessary;
• a research proposal of no more than 800 words with the following elements:
  • an outline of central issue/problem/question (why);
  • object(s) of research (what);
  • methodology (how);
  • how your research fits the one of the research areas of the ILLC  at the Faculty of Science;
  • the name of a potential supervisor for your PhD project who is a staff member of ILLC (check http://www.illc.uva.nl/People/Staff/). You are strongly encouraged to contact the staff member whom you have listed as your prospective supervisor to discuss your plans before applying formally;
• motivation for doing PhD research (no more than 200 words);
• the name and contact details of one or two academic referees;
• a writing sample, such as a project paper or chapter of a Master’s thesis, of up to 10000 words maximum.

Please supply this information in ONE single pdf file (not zipped), using your initials and surname as a file name. Upload it via the (mandatory) CV field in the application form.

Please also note the following:

• you may apply even if you have not yet completed your Master’s degree. If this is the case, we need a signed letter from your supervisor stating that you will graduate on time for a starting date no later than 1 November 2021 (preferably 1 September 2021);
• you are strongly encouraged to contact the ILLC staff member whom you have listed as your prospective supervisor to discuss your plans before formally applying;

Completed applications should be submitted by 13 June 2021. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

The selection committee will make a shortlist of candidates from all applications received. Candidates on the shortlist will be contacted by the chair of the committee, and will be requested to send a certified document listing their grades. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held via Zoom.

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