The Department of Communication, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral position focusing on theoretical investigations of absence of information and automated decision-making to be filled by 1 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is part of the Absence of information in decision-making processes (ABSENCE) research project funded by DFF.

The position is for 24 months.

Job content

The project Absence of information in decision-making processes (ABSENCE) investigates the concept of absence and its role in communication in order to advance our knowledge of decision-making processes for humans and machines. The project asks what we can learn from human social intelligence when developing automated systems. Through the focus on absence of information, the project aims to tease out the tacit elements of communication and decision-making in order to understand these in relation to algorithmic processes. On a fundamental level, ABSENCE asks what it means to be human in relation to technology.

The postdoc’s research activities will contribute to the aims of the project through conceptual analyses and/or technical developments and applications working at the intersection of philosophy and technology. The successful candidate will be expected to advance the theoretical and philosophical work on absence-based inference in order to inform and advance our understanding of automated decision-making. Further, the postdoc will be expected to conduct expert interviews in order to understand the prospects and pitfalls of new technologies – especially artificial intelligence – in relation to absence and automated decision-making processes.

For more information about ABSENCE, visit the website: https://komm.ku.dk/forskning/information-teknologi-og-relationer/absence/

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the theoretical and philosophical studies and the conceptual development devised by the project framework – both independently and in collaboration with the project leader Assistant Professor Sille Obelitz Søe. The successful candidate will be expected to publish scientific articles within the context of the project and to participate in the organization of activities and research events within the project.

As postdoc at the Department of Communication, the successful candidate will be part of an internationally-oriented interdisciplinary environment focused on advancing theoretical, methodological and empirical research about digital society. The successful candidate will be affiliated with the section Information, Technology, and Connections (INTER).

Qualification requirements

In order to be considered for the position applicants must have research qualifications at least corresponding to what can be achieved as part of a successfully completed PhD within a relevant field. We particularly welcome applicants with a PhD in philosophy, computer science, communication studies, information science, media studies, or a related field with experience in critical data studies, algorithm studies, critical AI studies, science and technology studies, or related areas – and with a keen interest in developing a strong research profile in the intersection between questions of language, technology, and social intelligence.

For further details about the qualification requirements for postdocs, please refer to the job structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2013: https://ufm.dk/en/legislation/prevailing-laws-and-regulations/education/files/job-structure-for-academic-staff-at-universities-2013.pdf

For further information about the position, please contact project PI Sille Obelitz Søe, e-mail: sille.obelitz@hum.ku.dk 

Application

Submit the application online in Adobe PDF or Word format.

Please click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of this page.

The application must be written in English and include the following enclosures:

• Application letter/cover letter (max 1 page).
• Curriculum vitae (with applicant’s e-mail & telephone number).
• Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.).
• Complete and numbered list of publications. The enclosed publications must be marked with *.
• Research plan, including a short description of previous research and a plan for the coming years that includes an account of how the applicant will contribute to the deliverables in the project description.
• Documentation of research dissemination, if any
• Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of three publications for assessment. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and listed from 1 to 3.

Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavours, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly stipulated. The Faculty may ask for a signed statement from the co-authors stipulating the extent and nature of each individual’s contribution.

Only material in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and English can be expected to be assessed.

Appointment procedure

After the application deadline, the Head of Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the appointment committee.  All applicants are notified whether their application has been accepted for assessment. The Dean subsequently appoints an expert assessment committee tasked with carrying out an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee. Applicants are ultimately offered the opportunity of commenting on the part of the assessment relating to themselves before the appointment is finalized.

Further information about the application procedure is available from Dorthea Andersen (HR), e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk. Please refer to ID number 211-1342/23-2I #1. 

Salary and conditions of employment

Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts at DKK 33,800, (EUR 4,470) + a 17,1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) have further agreed on a protocol that makes it possible for international researchers employed by the University to achieve a pension exemption, whereby the pension contribution will be paid out as salary. For more information about the different pension schemes, please read more here: https://ism.ku.dk/salary-tax-pension/pension/

If you consider applying from abroad, you may find useful information on how it is to work in Denmark and at UCPH here: http://ism.ku.dk, http://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-us/frontpage.htm and https://www.workindenmark.dk/

UCPH wishes to encourage everyone interested in this post to apply, regardless of personal background.

The closing date for applications is 10 April 2023 at 23:59 CEST.

Applications or supplementary material received thereafter will not be considered.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.