项目介绍

2025年4月12日

Your function

A fully funded four-year Ph.D. position is available at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on developing neuro-symbolic intelligent systems in the context of the Hybrid Intelligence Centre  (https://www.hybrid-intelligence-centre.nl). 

Hybrid Intelligence systems – where humans and AI collaborate to achieve shared goals – must  satisfy properties such as explainability, safety, efficient adaptability, and effective collaboration. Neuro-symbolic systems are a promising way to realise these properties, since humans use symbolic language (concepts in natural language, graphs) to communicate while machine learning systems use subsymbolic components to operate. The main research question of the project is therefore:

How can neuro-symbolic systems be configured to support hybrid intelligence with guaranteed properties?

Your profile

Candidates are expected to have an MSc degree (by Sept ‘25) in one of Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence,  Logic, Mathematics, or related fields. Interest in neuro-symbolic systems or background in formal foundations is a plus. Good communication and presentation skills in English are required, as well as the ability to work in a team.

The position will be co-supervised by prof. Annette ten Teije in the Learning & Reasoning group at the Vrije Universiteit and dr. Erman Acar (ILLC and IvI) at the University of Amsterdam. Regular contacts with other project partners in the Hybrid Intelligence project are also expected.  

The closing date of the application procedure will be May 15. Starting date will be as soon as possible thereafter. 

Note that this job opening is one of several job openings on the HI page with job openings. You can apply to more positions than just this one. If you do so, please inform the Hybrid Intelligence Centre’s Project Manager via email which projects you are applying to.

We aim to create hybrid intelligence for everyone, see also our Diversity Statement. To do this, we need an inclusive and diverse team of researchers. We especially encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply for this job. 

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.901,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.707,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 18 months. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses 
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package 
• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment 
• good paid parental leave scheme

For information about our excellent fringe benefits of employment see  www.workingat.vu.nl.

About us

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely – a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility.  Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services. Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.