Postdoc Neuro-Inclusive Participatory Interaction Design
Design for Neurodiversity!
University of Twente is looking for a Postdoc on a project about co-designing inclusive, playful embodied interaction technologies. Create impact for autistic children, their parents, teachers and peers, at home and at school
The challenge
Children on the autism spectrum and their others often experience communication challenges. This can have severe impact on educational and societal outcomes later in life. Traditionally, autism is seen as a neurodevelopmental social deficit. A new wave of ethically informed design-research instead addresses the challenge by taking a neurodiversity perspective. In this perspective, autism is seen as one neurodiversity amongst others.
Based on this perspective University of Twente will start a large, transdisciplinary research project, CO-INTEND. We will develop novel, ‘neuro-inclusive’ supportive interaction technologies. We aim to support autistic children, and their others in social interactions, acknowledging a diversity of interaction needs. We will co-design with research institutes, creative industry, elementary schools, experts-by-experience, therapists, and societal organisations.
We are looking for an independent post-doc, with multi-stakeholder project experience, to develop state-of-the-art, transdisciplinary, inclusive design frameworks, and support in daily management of a large multistakeholder research project.
Your responsibilities include
- Supporting daily management of a large transdisciplinary research consortium, including coordinating co-design case-studies, collaborating with two Ph.D. students, schools, industry- and societal partners.
- Investigating barriers and enablers for successful inclusive, technology mediated practices, integrating theory and practical insights into actionable design frameworks.
- Co-organizing multi-stakeholder reflection workshops and synthesizing transdisciplinary insights into concrete design implications.
- Disseminating project outcomes through publications, workshops, and public events.
You will be working in the Faculty of Engineering, embedded in the project COINTEND, working closely with research groups in Utrecht (HU), Nijmegen (Radboud and HAN), and Delft (TU). This position provides a unique opportunity to contribute to socially relevant transdisciplinary, participatory design research, while shaping the future of inclusive design in the Netherlands and beyond.
Information and application
Are you interested in this position? Please send your application via the 'Apply now' button below before
Deadline Friday October 10 and include a CV, research statement (addressing your methodological as well as ethical position), and list of publications. We strongly discourage the use of generative AI
The first (online) job interviews will take place on Thursday, October 30.
The second-round interviews will take place on Friday, November 7.
About the organisation
The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) engages in education and research of Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. We enable society and industry to innovate and create value using efficient, solid and sustainable technology. We are part of a ‘people-first' university of technology, taking our place as an internationally leading center for smart production, processes and devices in five domains: Health Technology, Maintenance, Smart Regions, Smart Industry and Sustainable Resources. Our faculty is home to about 2,900 Bachelor's and Master's students, 550 employees and 150 PhD candidates. Our educational and research programmes are closely connected with UT research institutes Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.
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