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<p><b>Dr. Virginia Dignum</b></p>
<p><b>TU Delft / Technology Policy and Management</b></p>
<p>Associate Professor Social Artificial Intelligence</p>
<p>Tel: +31 (0)15 27 88064 / +31 (0)6 52386326</p>
<p>Web: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://staff.tudelft.nl/en/M.V.Dignum">http://staff.tudelft.nl/en/M.V.Dignum</a></p>
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<b>A great way to start 2019! still a few days to apply!</b>
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text-decoration-color: initial;">Umeå University, department of
computing sience</h2>
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<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">Research
topic: Formal verification of ethical principles of AI systems</strong></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Umeå
University, the Department of Computing Science, is seeking
outstanding candidates for a Wallenberg Autonomous Systems
Program (WASP) PhD student position in Computer Science with
focus on formal verification of ethical principles of AI
systems. Deadline for application is January 7, 2019.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">The
Department of Computing Science is 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 Social and Ethical Artificial
Intelligence group conducts research into AI systems that meet
their social responsibility, including the development of
theories, models and tools for oversight, accountability and
verification, and methods to analyze, design, measure and audit
social implications. The group collaborates with several
national and international research groups, and has active links
with industry and policy organizations. Visit <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://people.cs.umu.se/virginia/"
moz-do-not-send="true">http://people.cs.umu.se/virginia/</a>
for more information.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">WASP</strong><br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
The project is part of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and
Software Program (WASP), Sweden’s largest ever individual
research program, and a major national initiative for strategic
basic research, education and faculty recruitment. The program
is initiated and generously funded by the Knut and Alice
Wallenberg Foundation (KAW) with 2.6 billion SEK. In addition to
this, the program receives support from collaborating industry
and from participating universities to form a total budget of
3.5 billion SEK. Major goals are more than 50 new professors and
more than 300 new PhDs within AI, Autonomous Systems and
Software. The vision of WASP is excellent research and
competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and
software for the benefit of Swedish industry. For more
information about the research and other activities conducted
within WASP please visit <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://wasp-sweden.org/" moz-do-not-send="true">http://wasp-sweden.org/</a>.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">The
graduate school within WASP provides foundations, perspectives,
and state-of-the-art knowledge in the different disciplines
taught by leading researchers in the field. Through an ambitious
program with research visits, partner universities, and visiting
lecturers, the graduate school actively supports forming a
strong multi-disciplinary and international professional network
between PhD students, researchers and industry. It thus provides
added value on top of the existing PhD programs at the partner
universities, providing unique opportunities for students who
are dedicated to achieving international research excellence
with industrial relevance.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">Research
project</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">
AI systems are increasingly expected to act autonomously. Using
current Machine Learning approaches that focus on pattern
matching and rely heavily on correlation methods leads to
impenetrable systems that are notoriously difficult to monitor
(the so called black box algorithms). However, trust on
autonomous systems depends on the possibility to verify and
minimally control their behavior. In particular, it becomes
increasingly important to formally ensure that the behavior of
an AI system lays within some given principles. </p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">An
important research area in AI is therefore the development of
theories and methods for control and verification of AI systems
that adapt to their environment without direct intervention of
the users. This requires going beyond traditional verification
and monitoring methods, for two main reasons. Firstly, these
systems operate in open environments, which cannot be fully
described nor defined a priori, and therefore rules and
constraints on its behavior cannot consider all possible
situations encountered by the system. Secondly, opacity is
inherent in open environments because the systems are developed
and operated by different parties, using that use different
(proprietary) architectures and algorithms.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">However,
trust in the system requires that we are able to ensure that the
system complies with societal values and ethical principles,
such as fairness, non-discrimination, safety or privacy.
Theories and tools are needed to specify computational
representations of these concepts, and to verify that a given
system complies with these. In this project, you will develop
methods to verify and monitor the ethical behavior of AI systems
based on the observation of input and output behavior according
to a continuously evolving societal optimum.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">About the
position</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;">
The successful applicant will be employed by Umeå University and
receive a competitive salary for a period of four years of full
time PhD studies, provided that the studies are progressing
reasonably well. PhD students are typically offered the
opportunity to gain teaching experience on suitable
undergraduate courses. If so, the employment period is extended
to cover the time spent on teaching (at most 20 %).<span> </span><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">Expected
starting date is March 1 2019 or as otherwise agreed.</strong></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">Admission
requirements</strong><span> </span><br style="box-sizing:
border-box;">
The applicant is required to have completed a second- cycle
level degree, or completed course requirements of at least 240
ECTS credits, of which at least 60 ECTS credits are at
second-cycle level, or have an equivalent education from
overseas, or equivalent qualifications. To fulfil the specific
entry requirements for doctoral studies in computing science,
the applicant is required to have completed courses at
second-cycle level degree equivalent to 60 ECTS credits in
computing science, or in a subject considered to be directly
relevant for the specialization in question.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Candidates
are expected to have very good knowledge in Artificial
Intelligence and formal methods. Demonstrable knowledge of
logics, theorem proving and verification is a prerequisite. In
particular, candidates should be well acquainted with relevant
formal and algorithmic techniques, and with knowledge
representation methods which, as the project proceeds, will be
applied to develop verification and monitoring models for AI
algorithms.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Since
research is conducted in an international research environment,
the ability to collaborate and contribute to teamwork, and a
very good command of the English language, both written and
spoken, are key requirements.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">Application</strong><br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
A complete application should contain the following documents:<br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
• A cover letter including a description of your research
interests, your reasons to apply for the position, and your
contact information<span> </span><br style="box-sizing:
border-box;">
• A curriculum vitae<br style="box-sizing: border-box;">
• If applicable, copy of completed BSc and/or MSc thesis and
other original research publications<br style="box-sizing:
border-box;">
• Copies of degree certificates, including documentation of
completed academic courses and obtained grades<br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
• Contact information for two persons willing to act as
references</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">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<span> </span><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">January 7
th, 2019</strong>. Reference number: AN 2.2.1-2063-18. Log on
to the system and apply via the button at the bottom of the web
page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://umu.mynetworkglobal.com/en/what:login/jobID:241808/type:job/apply:1/"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://umu.mynetworkglobal.com/en/what:login/jobID:241808/type:job/apply:1/</a><br>
</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Interested
applicants are also encouraged to apply for the position with
the reference number: AN 2.2.1-2063-18.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">The
procedure for recruitment for the position is in accordance with
the Higher Education Ordinance (chapter 12, 2§) and the decision
regarding the position cannot be appealed. We value the
qualities that an even gender distribution brings to the
department, and therefore we particularly encourage women to
apply for the position.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;">
For additional information, please contact Prof. Virginia Dignum
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:virginia@cs.umu.se" moz-do-not-send="true">virginia@cs.umu.se</a>.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">We look
forward to receiving your application!</strong></p>
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<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">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 people with different backgrounds and
experiences to apply for the current employment.</p>
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">We kindly
decline offers of recruitment and advertising help.</p>
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