Assistant professor AI for (health) coaching

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.

• You have a strong interest and have shown ability to collaborate in an academic, multidisciplinary environment;
• You have a PhD degree in Computer Science, or related discipline with a focus on relevant areas in Artificial Intelligence;
• You have demonstrated the ability to perform high-quality research in one of the fields relevant to the topic: natural language processing, dialogue systems, virtual humans, or social robots;
• You have shown a willingness to acquire external funding and are prepared to expand your skills in this respect;
• You have good communication skills and are a team player;
• You are fluent in English (knowledge of, or willingness to learn Dutch is an advantage);
• You have a University Teaching Qualification (Dutch: BKO) or equivalent or you are willing to acquire one within three years.

• We offer a permanent position with a one-year probationary period (formally a 1-year contract with prospect of permanent contract).
• The position comes with a start-up package that will be allow you to appoint one PhD student.
• Our terms of employment are in accordance with the Dutch Collective Labor Agreement for Universities (CAO) and include a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Depending on your relevant background and experience, the gross monthly salary on a full-time basis ranges from € 3974,- (scale 11) to € 6181,- (scale 12) gross per month.
• A minimum of 29 leave days in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A fulltime employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis.
• A solid pension scheme.
• Free access to sport facilities on campus.
• We are a family-friendly institution, which offers parental leave for both parents (both paid and unpaid) and career support for partners.
• We appreciate diversity of profiles, cultures, and backgrounds, and promote an inclusive working culture.
• Furthermore, we offer excellent professional and personal development programs.
• Finally, you will work in a lively, inspiring, and dynamic working environment in an organization focusing on internationalization, where you will have a high degree of responsibility and independence.

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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