Postdoc position on the use of Artificial Intelligence for citizen participation in democratic policy deliberations - Befattningen är under tillsättning eller redan tillsatt, och det är inte längre möjligt att lämna in en ansökan

The research group Responsible Artificial Intelligence (RAI) at the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University is seeking outstanding candidates for a post-doctoral position in Computer Science with focus on tools and methods for participatory deliberation.

Research project

Artificial intelligence (AI) can radically change the existing political paradigm, empowering more diffused forms of political participation. The use of AI systems, in particular recommender and filtering applications, and the possibility of sharing opinions among citizens, has large impact in the way public opinion is shaping. At the same time, the voting and decision-making processes still retain the same structure of centuries ago. Voting systems are oversimplified, and high-level decisions are taken mostly by the public administrations. Even when citizens are consulted, e.g. through referenda, the questions are often posed as yes/no alternatives, restricting the available options.

In this project, we aim to explore the use of AI to facilitate citizen participation in democratic policy deliberations. Possible research directions include but are not limited to:

· Deliberation and argumentation frameworks for public participation to structure public debates and support social acceptance of debate outcome

· innovative representations of opinion landscapes using AI techniques can enable citizens, advocacy groups and government to understand crowd feedback more efficiently,

· NLP methods to improve recommendations, filter through noise and bot automation, and analyse and aggregate the underlying pragmatics of participant’s inputs

About the position

The successful applicant will be employed by Umeå University and receive a competitive salary for a period of two years full time. Expected starting date is 1 October 2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Research environment

The research group Responsible Artificial Intelligence (RAI) is part of the Department of Computing Science, a dynamic environment with around 100 employees representing more than 20 countries worldwide. We conduct education and research on a broad range of topics in Computing Science. The department’s work on Artificial Intelligence has a strong international position, in particular on the topics of collaborative and responsible AI.

The focus of the RAI research group is on methods and tools for the design, analysis and verification of the ethical and societal impact of AI.  Researchers collaborate with several national and international research groups, and have active links with industry and policy organisations. Visit https://www.umu.se/en/research/groups/responsible-artificial-intelligence/ for more information.

The project is financed by the Marcus and Marianne Wallenberg Foundation and affiliated with WASP-HS, the Wallenberg Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems and Software Program – Humanities and Society. WASP-HS aims to realize excellent research and develop competence on the consequences and challenges of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for the humanity and society WASP-HS aims to realize excellent research and develop competence on the consequences and challenges of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for the humanity and society. For more information about the research and other activities conducted within WASP-HS please visit www.wasp-hs.org.   

Admission requirements

Applicants must have earned a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, interaction design, human-computer interaction, or similar subjects relevant for the position. The PhD degree should not be more than three years old by the application deadline, unless special circumstances exist. The candidate is expected to have an overall interest in responsible AI concepts and methods, and expertise in participatory methods and interaction design, as demonstrate by publications and other scientific output.

Proficiency in English, both spoken and written, is required. Ideal candidates are research driven, organized, and would like to work on challenging problems and innovative solutions. Strong research merits and excellent publications in the area of the position are required.

Application

A complete application should contain the following documents:

Application

A complete application should include:

· An introductory letter of intent including a statement of research describing how you propose to fulfill this position (maximum 2 pages).

· Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a complete list of scientific publications.

· Certified copies of degree certificates, including documentation of completed academic courses and obtained grades

· A copy of your PhD thesis and copies of (max 5) original research publications relevant to the above topics, numbered according to the publication list.

· Names and contact information for three persons willing to act as references.

Incomplete applications or applications with a generic letter of intent will not be considered.

The application must be written in English or Swedish, and attached documents must be written in or translated to English or Swedish. Documents must be in Word or pdf format. Applications must be submitted electronically using the e-recruitment system of Umeå University, and be received no later than 15 August, 2021. Reference number: AN 2.2.1-1021-21. Log on to the system and apply via the button at the bottom of the web page.

Umeå University wants to offer an equal environment where open dialogue between people with different backgrounds and perspectives lay the foundation for learning, creativity and development. We welcome women, non-binary people and people with different backgrounds and experiences to apply for this position.

For additional information, please contact Prof. Virginia Dignum virginia@cs.umu.se.

We look forward to receiving your application!