Doctoral Candidate in project field computational sustainability and technology (CST)

About us

The Division of Applied Artificial Intelligence, led by Prof. Dr. Daniel Sonntag, is seeking a PhD Candidate to join our team within the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oldenburg. Designed to support the academic qualification of junior scientists, this role offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge AI research. 

Your tasks

In collaboration with the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the successful candidate will engage in specialized AI transfer projects in knowledge-driven domains such as biodiversity conservation and other SDG-aligned initiatives in sustainability and social impact. See cst.dfki.de. Key research topics include:

• Intelligent User Interfaces
• Mixed-Initiative and Human-in-the-Loop Systems
• Machine Teaching
• Explainable AI (XAI) and Transparency
• Data-Efficient Learning
• Disentangled and Interpretable Representation Learning
• Multimodal Generative AI
• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Natural Language Processing (NLP), Textual Entailment, Reasoning with LLMs

Successful candidate will:

• Conduct research at the frontier of applied AI, contributing to both theoretical advancements and practical implementations.
• Develop and implement demonstration systems to support user evaluations and fulfil project deliverables.
• Prepare scientific publications and present research findings at international conferences and workshops.

Your profile

Education:

• a university degree (Diploma (Uni)/ Master) in Computer science, Data Science, Computational Linguistics, Mathematics, or another relevant technical discipline.

Required Skills:
Candidate is expected to demonstrate several of the following abilities: 

• Proficiency in programming, preferably in Python.
• Familiarity with machine learning algorithms and frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Basic knowledge of linear algebra, calculus, and statistics.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work both independently and within an interdisciplinary team.
• Excellent command of English (spoken and written).

Additional Skills (preferred):
The following skills, while not strictly required, would represent an advantage:

• Familiarity with GPU programmingand cloud computing environments.
• Experience in designing, conducting, and communicating scientific research.
• Experience in user-centred design including user evaluation methods.
• Knowledge of Unity, front-end technologies, and/or modern software engineering practices.
• Strong mathematical foundations and expertise in geometric deep learning, topological data analysis, or related topics.

We offer

• A stimulating and collaborative research environment with strong partnerships with industry and academic institutions.
• Membership in a diverse, interdisciplinary team of 20-30 professionals who are actively engaged in related AI topics, with high visibility in the international research community.
• Opportunities for personal and professional development within an innovative academic setting.

Our standards

The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increase the percentage of female employees in the field of science. Therefore, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. In accordance to § 21 Section 3 NHG, female candidates with equal qualifications will be preferentially considered. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference in case of equal qualification.