9 May: FYI -- PhD funding, AI ethics (Twente, NL; Dublin, IE)
Index of May 2019 | Index of year: 2019 | Full index
https://www.utwente.nl/en/organization/careers/!/545468/phd-ethical-implications-of-using-ai-and-big-data-to-analyse-speech-text-and-video-images-of-individuals-protect-network
https://www.utwente.nl/en/organization/careers/!/545481/phd-ethical-management-of-private-data-in-the-online-environment-protect-network
https://www.utwente.nl/en/organization/careers/!/545437/phd-position-ethics-of-personal-data-from-online-mobile-wearable-and-social-media-for-e-health-and-lifestyle-applications-protect-network
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Department of Philosophy of the University Twente in the Netherlands is looking for a PhD Position in Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data (PROTECT-Network)
We invite you to apply for a PhD position as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network ‘PROTECT - Protecting Personal Data Amidst Big Data Innovation’, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. Two other positions of this type are offered by the University of Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/en/organization/career
Ethical implications of using AI and big data to analyse speech, text
and video images of individuals
In recent years, very powerful techniques have emerged for analysing
human speech and texts, as well as video images with humans in them.
The combination of big data and artificial intelligence makes it
possible to recognize humans in private and public spaces, analyse
their behaviour, make inferences about their personality, emotions,
intentions, and other psychological traits, and track them. The
objective of this position is to analyse the ethical implications of
advanced natural language, speech and video analytics and machine
learning techniques and their application to the processing and
analysis of personal data and to personalization applications. It is
also possible to focus on just one of the areas (text/speech or
video/images). This is an exciting new area in which little ethical
analysis has been done so far. The candidate will perform an analysis
of key ethical issues relating to these techniques, involving several
case studies, and will also study implications for organizational
policies and public policy. Within this position you will have
significant freedom in making the topic your own and selecting your
own research questions, theories, and methods. We encourage
innovation.
Your principal supervisor for this position will be prof. dr. Philip
Brey, full professor in philosophy and ethics of technology at the
University of Twente. This position includes two two-months
secondments (i.e., periods during which you will work from another
institution): the first at Trinity College Dublin with prof. dr. Linda
Hogan, professor in ethics; the second at the Rathenau Institute in
The Hague with prof. Barend van der Meulen, Head of Research. There
will also be opportunities for secondments and shorter stays at
leading tech companies and policy organisations. Depending on your
level of experience, we may require you to take some courses taught in
the MSc in Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society.
YOUR PROFILE
You have a Master’s degree in ethics, philosophy, or a related discipline. In addition, you:
have good philosophical and analytical skills
have an interest in practical applications of ethics
are familiar with, or are interested in, ethical and philosophical aspects of the computer and information sciences, in particular artificial intelligence and big data
have good English language skills, both in writing and speaking
have good social and communication skills in academic as well as non-academic contexts
appreciate multidisciplinary collaboration
are able to work independently, but also motivated to collaborate with others, including project participants and partners from different countries and with diverse backgrounds
The PROTECT consortium and project
PROTECT is an international, interdisciplinary and cross
academic-industry training network hosted across Ireland, the
Netherlands, Spain and Belgium. It is recruiting 14 Early Stage
Researchers (ESR) to undertake research towards PhDs in the
disciplines of law, ethics or computer science, with the common goal
of Protecting Personal Data Amidst Big Data Innovation.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon
2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie
Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) grant agreement No. 813497. More
information here:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2018-2020/main/h2020-wp1820-msca_en.pdf
Eligibility Criteria
All researchers recruited must be Early-Stage Researchers
(ESR). Early-Stage researchers are those who, at the time of
recruitment by the host are in the first four years (full-time
equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not
been awarded a doctoral degree. This is measured from the date when
they obtain the degree that formally entitles them to embark on a
doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or
in the country in which the researcher is recruited, even if a
doctorate was never started or envisaged).
Conditions of Mobility of Researchers
Researchers are required to undertake physical, transnational mobility
(i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up their
appointment. Researchers must not have resided or carried out their
main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host
organizations for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to their
recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into
account. Note that the mobility rule applies to the (first)
beneficiary where the researcher is recruited, and not to
beneficiaries to which the researcher is sent or seconded.
Because of the mobility conditions, potential applicants who have
carried out their main activity in the Netherlands since June 2016 are
not eligible for the University of Twente positions but can apply to
related positions offered by the PROTECT Network at Dublin City
University.
Researchers at Risk
The following aspects are in place to ensure access to researchers at risk and those with refugee status:
Application submission by post where online application requirements may discriminate against the researcher’s circumstances (please contact the project manager)
Application of the eligibility criteria appropriately to ensure
researchers who have suspended their activities whilst seeking refugee
status are not disadvantaged.
Job application
Your application should include the following information and documents:
Full name
Nationality
Contact detail
Summary of activities in the three years prior to May 2019
Summary of education
List of max 3 examples of work demonstrating prior achievement in research, enquiry or debate, e.g., published paper or other work; software, standards or policy contribution; dissertation or Master’s thesis
A writing sample (for example, a copy of your Master’s thesis)
A summary and table of contents of your Master’s thesis (if applicable)
A cover letter which explains your interest in the position and your qualifications for it
A curriculum vitae which includes the name and e-mail
address/telephone number for at least two references .
The application deadline is Saturday 25 May, 2019, 23:59 CET. We will
hold interviews on June 3rd and 4h; Skype interviews are an
option. Since only three documents can be uploaded per application,
please combine documents if needed. You should feel free to apply to
more than one position; in that case, please upload separate cover
letters for each position
Further information
Location: These positions are based at the Department of Philosophy, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
Contact information: Prof. dr. Philip Brey : p.a.e.brey@utwente.nl (+31 (0)53 489 4426).
OUR OFFER
We offer a very challenging fulltime position for four years in an inspiring multidisciplinary and international environment. The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues in which internationalization is an important part of the strategic agenda.
A starting salary of € 2.325 in the first year and a salary of € 2.972 in the fourth year gross per month;
A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%;
A solid pension scheme;
Minimum of 29 holidays in case of full-time employment;
Professional and personal development programs.
THE ORGANIZATION
The University of Twente. We stand for life sciences and
technology. High tech and human touch. Education and research that
matter. New technology which leads change, innovation and progress in
society. The University of Twente is the only campus university of the
Netherlands; divided over five faculties we provide more than fifty
educational programmes. We have a strong focus on personal development
and talented researchers are given scope for carrying out
groundbreaking research.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our
company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color,
national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or
disability status. Because of our diversity values we do particularly
support women to apply.
Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social sciences The Faculty of
Behavioural, Management and Social sciences (BMS) strives to play a
pivotal role in understanding, co-engineering and evaluating
innovation in society. Innovation is driven by advances in
technology. Through 'social engineering' these technological advances
are embedded in society befitting human needs and behaviour, within
proper public and private management and business structures. For this
the faculty of BMS upholds high quality disciplinary knowledge in
psychology, business administration, public administration,
communication science, philosophy, educational science and health
sciences. All with a focus on the challenges in society. Research is
strongly connected to our institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centra
and Digital Society Institute.
Index of May 2019 | Index of year: 2019 | Full index