15 Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a profile in information law to do research into the legal and ethical aspects of synthetic data and use of synthetic data for policy simulations. Your research will be part of “WHAT-IF”, a European Horizon research project. “WHAT-IF” is an international, interdisciplinary consortium with the goal of creating a ‘digital twin’ of the (social) media environment, in order to test possible interventions at the individual and/or societal level. The empirical core of the project is formed by a combination of individual level data donation of (social) media usage, which will be used to train and validate a LLM-based simulation. Then, this will be used to develop and test possible interventions to problems like tackling the spread of mis- and disinformation, deepfakes or hate speech. Using synthetic data in policy simulations raises, among others, a host of important legal and ethical questions.

To help addressing these legal and ethical questions, we are looking for a postdoc with several years of experience in doing interdisciplinary research in information law, and more specifically media law , platform governance, the legal aspects of disinformation, political targeting and synthetic data. Your role will be to help manage and conduct research within the legal work package, in close cooperation with the other work packages. More specifically, the objective of the legal work package is to develop a theoretical framework on the role evidence produced through simulations can play in platform and media governance, and to define the conditions that need to be in place for simulations to inform platform and media governance. You will also actively help building the international consortium and cooperation across work packages.

The position will be embedded in the AI, Media & Democracy Lab and the Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam. There is the possibility to expand your position from a 0.8 to 1 FTE position by contributing to some research and teaching activities within the lab and the Institute for Information Law. 

The Psychology department of the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Amsterdam is looking for a postdoc to join a large NWO-funded research project led by Prof. dr. Gerben A. van Kleef (PI) at the Social Psychology group

The goal of the project at large is to investigate the social dynamics of (counter)normative behavior. Adherence to social norms is important for community functioning, yet norm violations abound. People jump queues, commit fraud, vandalize property, dodge taxes, and engage in sexual harassment. Such behaviors can be highly problematic when they happen sporadically, and even more troublesome when they spread in groups to create systemic problems (e.g., anarchy, corruption, social unsafety, toxic cultures). Despite a longstanding interest in social norms, current science cannot explain or predict when norm violations are contained and when they spread, nor how this happens. This is because dominant perspectives fail to capture the emotional dynamics of (counter)normative behavior.

The team working on this project (two postdocs, a research assistant, external collaborators, and the PI) will develop and test a novel theoretical model of the emotional dynamics of (counter)normative behavior in groups. The basic premise of the model is that the spreading or containment of norm violations depends on observers’ behavioral responses to those violations, which are shaped by emotional processes. We will investigate emotional reactions to norm violations and the social contingencies that modulate these reactions; link emotional reactions to behavioral responses; and examine how emotional expressions and behavioral responses contribute to the spreading or containment of norm violations and the development of social norms over time.

The model will be tested in two complementary work packages. Work package 1 focuses on individual responses to norm violations, using tightly controlled experimental methods. Work package 2 focuses on emotional and behavioral responses to norm violations and downstream consequences for group norms in online and live-interacting groups. The current vacancy pertains to work package 2.

We invite applications to join the AstroFlash research group as a 2-year junior postdoctoral researcher at the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API) of the University of Amsterdam, advised by Dr. Ziggy Pleunis. This position could be extended up to a maximum of 4 years in total, if additional funds will become available in the research group.

The AstroFlash group is focused on the study of the fast radio bursts (FRBs), which are impulses of radio waves that last for only a fraction of a second and that are detectable over extragalactic distances. The origin of FRBs remains elusive, though various types of highly magnetized compact objects, e.g. magnetars, are favoured candidate sources. A small fraction of FRBs has been observed to repeat and the most hyperactive of repeating FRB sources produce up to hundreds of detectable bursts per hour.

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher who is excited about revolutionizing our understanding of how the local environments of FRBs are connected to their activity and burst properties, which will both help understand the nature of FRBs and make them better astrophysical tools to study the Universe at large.

You will have the opportunity to join the CHIME/FRB collaboration and make use of world-class data from the CHIME/FRB experiment and its “Outriggers” upgrade and/or contribute to commensal searches for fast radio transients with the LOFAR 2.0 telescope.

Though our focus is on radio observations, we also welcome applications from more theoretically minded astrophysicists that could support observational activities in the research group with theoretical or computational modeling of FRBs and their environments.

In the NWO-KIC project MicroHealth, we study the role of the microbiome in the relationship between soil, agricultural products and health of humans. This relationship has enormous societal implications because agriculture has a large impact on our environment and food is the number one driver of human health. 

In MicroHealth, with a team of plant and human biologists, sociologists and data analysts, we will establish the connection between the impact of agriculture on the soil and plant quality/microbiome and the consequences for the health of humans, as well as the social and political context of this connection. We will achieve this by

1.    studying the impact of farming strategies on the soil and crop microbiome and crop nutritional composition; 
2.    an intervention study in the HELIUS cohort tracing crop-related microbiome and nutritional composition changes and

       its relation to health status; 
3.    advanced bioinformatics analysis and statistical modelling that integrate the results of activities 1 and 2; 
4.    embedding  the study in research on opportunities and conflicts in policies and stakeholder-networks and microbiome-related

       health practises at the household level. 

For integrating the metagenomics data from soil, crop and the human gut microbiomes by bioinformatics analysis of single nucleotide variants and by extension of structural equation/causal models (activity 3), we are looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a passion for interdisciplinary microbiome research and a background in bioinformatics, bio-data science and/or bio-statistics. 

You will be based at the Biosystems Data Analysis research group of the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) and collaborate with PhDs and postdocs from SILS and the Amsterdam University Medical Centre (AUMC) who will be responsible for the other activities. The Biosystems Data Analysis research group develops and validates methods for organizing, summarizing, and visualizing complex biological data through the integration of bioinformatics and biostatistics.

Are you exceptionally interested in gravitational wave and multi-messenger astrophysics to constrain nuclear physics using neutron star binary mergers? We are seeking a postdoctoral research fellow to lead an interdisciplinary research program on nuclear physics using gravitational wave and multi-messenger observations. The successful candidate will be embedded in the GRAPPA center of excellence in gravitation and astroparticle physics, be an active member of the NWO ENW-XL collaboration on “Looking at the strong nuclear interaction from all angles” and be an active member of the Virgo Collaboration and various time domain surveys (Rubin Observatory etc).

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Bosch Group has opened a new collaborative research lab, Delta Lab 2. We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher in machine learning to be a part of this collaboration. Research topics include include generative models (ex: flows, conditional generation, applications to AI4Science) and/or uncertainty quantification (ex: conformal prediction, approximate inference). Delta Lab 2 is embedded within the Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab (AMLab) and the Computer Vision Lab (CV), two research groups within the UvA Informatics Institute

The department of Anthropology, programme group Health, Care & The Body, of the faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to participate in the capacity strengthening work package of a European Commission funded 3-year project called Social sciences participatory research-action for preparedness in risk management for disasters and health emergencies in Europe’s cities, or Sonar-Cities in short.

Developed through the sonar-global network (www.sonar-global.eu), this project aims to reduce inequality and vulnerabilities among urban inhabitants through the co-creation of an inclusive, citizen-centered, participatory, tailored toolset to strengthen individual, community, and municipal authority capacities to understand, prepare for, and cope more effectively with emergencies and disasters.

The project’s approach is to analyze the health consequences of past disasters and health emergencies in six European cities (Groningen, Ljubljana, Udine, Vienna, Zagreb, and Stockholm), leveraging transdisciplinary social science research and explicitly including the perspectives of people experiencing vulnerabilities. We will mobilize these analyses to co-create with publics at risk, first responders, and authorities an inclusive, citizen-centered toolset. This will comprise tested, evaluated tools and methods housed on a user-friendly platform. It will generate inclusive preparedness, improved health literacy, crisis communication and risk reduction, and a more integrated One Health approach for disasters and health emergencies in European cities.

Are you a highly-motivated researcher looking for a post doc for performing state-of-the-art atomic physics experiments and developing quantum technology? Then we are looking for you.

The hybrid atom-ion quantum systems lab, headed by Dr. Rene Gerritsma and Dr. Robert Spreeuw, is part of the Quantum Gases and Quantum Information (QGQI) cluster at the University of Amsterdam. The main focus of the group is to study the quantum dynamics in trapped ions while at the same time developing technology for emerging quantum applications, such as quantum computing and simulation.

The Els Koffeman Postdoctoral Fellowship is designed to launch excellent researchers from underrepresented groups into faculty positions in the Netherlands or abroad. The fellowship is open to researchers in all fields of experimental and theoretical physics.

At the Institute of Physics (IoP) at the University of Amsterdam, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, both of which are key for excellent physics research. We are committed to equality of opportunity, being fair and inclusive, and being a place where all belong. The Els Koffeman Postdoctoral Fellowship is intended for candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in our workforce at the faculty level.
 

The Els Koffeman Postdoctoral Fellowship is a prestigious personal grant that supports postdocs conducting their own high-quality research at the Institute of Physics (IoP). We are looking for experienced researchers with above-average qualifications who can conduct their research independently. As an Els Koffeman fellow, your main task is to perform research in a physics topic of your choice. You will be embedded in one of the subgroups of IoP but are encouraged to form a bridge between various groups. We highly value mentorship and collaboration, and you will have the opportunity to contribute to the guidance and supervision of Ph.D., Master’s, and Bachelor students. The fellowship includes a budget of 10k Euro per year to support your scientific activities.

We are looking for applicants from all subfields of experimental and theoretical physics. The research profile of the IoP is very broad, ranging from string theory to astroparticle physics to biophysics. In your application, please list the names of up to three IoP faculty members with whom you would be interested in working.

The Department of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join the Dutch Research Council (NWO-VICI) project ‘Political Masculinities in Europe.’

Politics is traditionally a man’s world. Despite much progress in recent years, most politicians are still men. What knowledge we have about gender and inequality in politics is mainly based on counting women and men. In contrast, we do not well understand the underlying gendered norms about behavior that is considered inappropriate and appropriate: political masculinities. This project’s research reveals how political masculinities change or persist among voters, elected politicians, leaders, and aspirants. The research results will bring much-needed nuance and depth to a currently polarized but ultimately simplistic debate about gendered inequality in politics.

As postdoc you will study the following research question: How are political masculinities experienced by men in representative politics? The aim of this subproject is to reveal how elected male politicians experience masculinities in their daily work and how this has changed over the course of their political career. How has this been influenced, in their view, by personal factors, their identification, their political party, their political socialization, and by wider socio-political transformations? How do they evaluate political masculinities in the European Parliament, and how does this relate to their experiences in their countries of origin? The post-doc will conduct a concise organizational ethnography in the European parliament to get a first overview of the institutionalization of masculinities (codes of conduct, procedures, behavioral norms). Based on the insights of the organizational ethnography, the post-doc will develop the interview protocol. The post-doc will conduct interviews with male Member of European Parliament in office from different European regions and representing different political groups.

Are you passionate about advancing secure data exchange in data-sensitive applications? Have you always wanted to contribute to cutting-edge research that impacts privacy in critical sectors like healthcare? 

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​We are seeking a motivated and skilled researcher to join our team, backed by a newly awarded grant aimed at enhancing secure data processing in sensitive and intensive applications. Building on the success of the Enabling Personal Interventions (EPI) project, which focused on health applications with stringent data privacy requirements, this new research initiative will push the boundaries of secure data exchange. 

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​This research work will result in a flexible data software infrastructure, providing a foundation for future research in distributed and secure data management. We will build on top of the Brane framework. While immediate applications are anticipated in the health domain, the broader relevance of our work is evident. The municipality of Amsterdam, for example, recognizes the significance of our work in the context of the AmDeX project. The proposed solution can serve as a foundational reference architecture for the AmDeX project and similar initiatives. 

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​You will be embedded in the MNS group. The group focuses its research on the fundamental architectural problems that arise from the interconnection of systems and of data flows. We look at the emerging architectures that can support the operations of the future Internet. More information can be found here 

Are you a highly motivated physicist interested in a postdoctoral research position at the intersection between nanophotonics and 2D material science? The 2D Nanophotonics group within the Institute of Physics has an open position for the project “Excitonic 2D metasurfaces for active multifunctional flat optics”. The aim is to employ exciton resonances in monolayer 2D semiconductors to actively tune the optical response of metasurfaces.

Optical metasurfaces offer ultra-flat and compact alternatives to conventional bulky optical elements like mirrors, lenses, and prisms. By accurate engineering of the resonant light-matter interaction of arrays of nanostructures, light can be scattered in a controlled fashion to perform an optical function. While such optical metasurfaces are nowadays highly efficient and well established, their optical function is typically static.

In this (3 year-) project you will study the strong light-matter interactions of stable excitons in monolayer 2D semiconductor material and couple these materials to resonant metasurfaces. Using their combination, you will investigate the unique properties of these 2D quantum materials and use them to develop multifunctional and atomically thin optical elements with an electrically tunable optical function.

You will be joining an exciting team of researchers with a strong emphasis on collaboration. We expect you to be an active member of the research group, and a driving force in this project.

Are you eager to work as a postdoc in the field of experimental quantum sensing with ultracold atoms, in the lively international research group of Profs. Philippe Bouyer and Florian Schreck?

Our research group focusses on harnessing the wave-like properties of cold atoms to realize new types of quantum sensors for fundamental physics, geoscience, and real-world applications such as position, navigation and timing. We have extensive experience developing state-of-the-art matter-wave interferometers for sensing accelerations, rotations, magnetic fields, and testing fundamental theories of gravity and electrodynamics.

For further insight, please visit: https://www.strontiumbec.com/indexprivate.html

We are looking for an experienced researcher to aid the development of a transportable inertial quantum sensor with cold atoms. This project included the development of a new experiment at UVA aiming at using advanced quantum control techniques to perform continuous atom interferometry. It also includes a collaboration between the Quantum Gas group at UVA, the University of New Brunswick in Canada, and quantum-tech companies Q-CTRL in Australia and the Quantum Valley Ideas Lab in Canada for the joint development of a transportable gravimeter. You will play a crucial role in developing metrology models for the inertial quantum sensor operation, and for building and assembling hardware components. You will have the opportunity to work for extended periods in Canada and interact directly with leading experts in academia and industry.

Are you a eager to apply optical clocks to real-world challenges and to explore new optical clock operating principles, all in a lively international research group?

Our Ultracold Strontium Gases Group is offering a postdoc position on our QuantumDelta NL (QDNL) Ultracold Atom Quantum Sensing Testbed. QDNL advances quantum technology and brings it closer to applications by collaborating with industry, startups and users.  Our group is headed by Prof. Florian Schreck and is part of the Quantum Gases & Quantum Information (QG&QI) cluster at the Institute of Physics (IoP) of the University of Amsterdam (UvA). We exploit ultracold Sr for quantum simulation, quantum sensing, and quantum computing.

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a profile in information law to do research into the legal and ethical aspects of synthetic data and use of synthetic data for policy simulations. Your research will be part of “WHAT-IF”, a European Horizon research project. “WHAT-IF” is an international, interdisciplinary consortium with the goal of creating a ‘digital twin’ of the (social) media environment, in order to test possible interventions at the individual and/or societal level. The empirical core of the project is formed by a combination of individual level data donation of (social) media usage, which will be used to train and validate a LLM-based simulation. Then, this will be used to develop and test possible interventions to problems like tackling the spread of mis- and disinformation, deepfakes or hate speech. Using synthetic data in policy simulations raises, among others, a host of important legal and ethical questions.

To help addressing these legal and ethical questions, we are looking for a postdoc with several years of experience in doing interdisciplinary research in information law, and more specifically media law , platform governance, the legal aspects of disinformation, political targeting and synthetic data. Your role will be to help manage and conduct research within the legal work package, in close cooperation with the other work packages. More specifically, the objective of the legal work package is to develop a theoretical framework on the role evidence produced through simulations can play in platform and media governance, and to define the conditions that need to be in place for simulations to inform platform and media governance. You will also actively help building the international consortium and cooperation across work packages.

The position will be embedded in the AI, Media & Democracy Lab and the Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam. There is the possibility to expand your position from a 0.8 to 1 FTE position by contributing to some research and teaching activities within the lab and the Institute for Information Law.