The Context
The Computer Science department of the University of Twente is expanding. Therefore, we are hiring 6 new faculty members, to strengthen our research in Artificial Intelligence, Cyberphysical systems and Software Engineering in the domains of (1) e-Health and (2) energy and sustainability. These new faculty members will be assigned in different research groups, but inter-group collaboration with other researchers working on these themes is considered essential to reach our overall ambitions. One of the six positions is in the Human Media Interaction (HMI) group and focusses on research in e-Health.
The Position
Research into multimodal conversational systems such as chatbots, virtual humans, or social robots to coach people to live a healthier lifestyle, both from a physical and mental perspective, has seen a steady growth in the past couple of years. With the introduction of conversational systems such as ChatGPT and Bard, it looks as if smooth natural language conversations with an AI system have become possible. However, lifestyle coaching systems need a more sensitive and controlled mechanism to decide on what personalized advice to give. They need to be sensitive to the possibly vulnerable physical and mental state of the user and be aware of the possible effects of their advice. Furthermore, the information they provide should be communicated in a convincing way, but also be reliable and trustworthy. We are looking for a candidate with an AI background that can contribute to intelligent systems that can realise these goals.
Human Media Interaction (HMI) is a diverse and interdisciplinary research group that studies and designs interactive systems that users can intuitively interact with, ranging from Brain Computer Interfaces to Conversational Systems and Ambient Intelligence applications. In the area of Conversational Systems, HMI has expertise on speech technology, dialogue systems, embodied conversational agents and social robots. On the theme of e-Health, HMI has a strong tradition in contributing to a variety of coaching systems such as applications to increase physical fitness, advice on particular conditions (asthma, diabetes), or helping people to stop smoking or drinking. Research is conducted in coalitions with other research groups from inside and outside the University of Twente and with external stakeholders such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, elderly homes, etcetera.
Information and application
Are you interested in joining our team? Please submit your application before April 15, 2023 via the "Apply Now" button below, including:
- a curriculum vitae (including, list of publications, research and teaching statement);
- a cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
- 2 or 3 of your publications which you deem most relevant to this vacancy.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion at our university. We encourage applications from all sections of society.
Short online interviews are planned in the middle of May. Full job interviews are scheduled on campus in June.
You are welcome to contact Dirk Heylen (d.k.j.heylen@utwente.nl) for any questions you might have.
Related vacancies
The other open positions of the Computer Science department related to e-Health and energy and sustainability are:
- Energy-efficient communication networks
- Machine Learning and AI in e-Health
- Energy-efficient Software Development
- Data, systems and network security for critical infrastructures
- Energy-efficient computing continuum (IoT-edge-cloud)
About the organisation
The faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) uses mathematics, electronics and computer technology to contribute to the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). With ICT present in almost every device and product we use nowadays, we embrace our role as contributors to a broad range of societal activities and as pioneers of tomorrow's digital society. As part of a people-first tech university that aims to shape society, individuals and connections, our faculty works together intensively with industrial partners and researchers in the Netherlands and abroad, and conducts extensive research for external commissioning parties and funders. Our research has a high profile both in the Netherlands and internationally. It has been accommodated in three multidisciplinary UT research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centre and Digital Society Institute.
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