Post-doctoral position in AI transparency and consumer trust - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Technology and Society at the Engineering Faculty of Lund University employs around 80 senior lecturers, PhD students and administrative staff. The department is currently developing a multidisciplinary research environment around the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous technologies in society at large, including ethical, social and legal issues. Current postdoctoral position is part of a research project AI Transparency and Consumer Trust, funded by WASP-HS.

Subject description Technology and society is also a third-cycle subject that encompasses multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies of technology’s role, interplay and importance in different sectors of society.

Work duties The main duties involved in a post-doctoral position is to conduct research. Teaching may also be included, but no more than 20% of working hours. The position includes the opportunity for three weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning.

The successful candidate will do research under the framework of the ongoing research project on AI Transparency and Consumer Trust, funded by the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program on Humanities and Society (WASP-HS), see more below. The project is led by Stefan Larsson, a socio-legal researcher, and Fredrik Heintz, a computer science AI-researcher, and includes two already active PhD students.

The project studies how AI transparency relates to consumer trust and can enable fair and accountable uses of applied AI in consumer markets. This includes i) how AI is governed in consumer markets at large; ii) the consumers’ norms and understanding of AI, especially with regards to transparency, and iii) how AI explainability can be developed in an applied way in the intersection between social, legal and technical aspects in order to strengthen consumer trust.

As postdoc, you will be expected to, independently and in collaboration with other researchers in the team, contribute to advancing empirical, theoretical or conceptual research under the frames of the project. You will be expected to publish scientific work and to participate in the organization of activities and research events within the project.

Qualification requirements Appointment to a post-doctoral position requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the last date for applications. Under special circumstances, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier.

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Assessment criteria and other qualifications

This is a career development position primarily focused on research. The position is intended as an initial step in a career, and the assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications and potential as researchers. Particular emphasis will be placed on research skills within the subject.

For appointments to a post-doctoral position, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and conduct high quality research.
• Teaching skills.

Additional assessment criteria:

• Abilities of handling multi- or cross-disciplinary research settings relating to the wide frames of technologies and society.  
• The candidate’s disciplinary background can be located in the intersection between technical, legal and social aspects of AI transparency and trust.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the project described above and the research group at the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Terms of employment
This is a full-time, fixed-term employment of 2 years. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow”) between Lund University, SACO-S, OFR/S and SEKO, dated 4 September 2008.

Instructions on how to apply Applications shall be written in English. Please draw up the application in accordance with LTH’s Academic qualifications portfolio – see link below. In addition, make sure to include a brief proposal for a 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. Upload the application as PDF-files in the recruitment system. Read more: http://www.lth.se/english/working-at-lth/to-apply-for-academic-positions-at-lth/

WASP-HS This postdoctoral position is part of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program on Humanities and Society (WASP-HS). WASP-HS aims to realize excellent research and develop competence on the consequences and challenges of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for the individual person and society. This 10-year program is initiated and generously funded by the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation (MMW) with 660 million SEK. In addition to this, the program receives support from collaborating industry and from participating universities.