Teaser
Challenge
: Developing value-based assessment methods for AI systems.Change
: Driving validation of AI systems to ensure that only trustworthy models are used.Impact
: Enhancing police trustworthiness.Job description
Validating models is a crucial step before decisions can be made about implementation and is important for continuous monitoring of systems in use. The challenge is, however, that validation needs to happen along a range of different values that are important for AI to possess at the police: accuracy, but also fairness, reliability, trustworthiness, and more need to be ensured.
As a PhD student at TU Delft, you will conduct impactful research on two key aspects in advancing the responsible use of AI within the police force.
First, you will investigate the standards and values surrounding AI usage, particularly concerning open models. This entails defining what criteria these models must meet, beyond common considerations like bias and fairness. You will delve into various aspects beyond these to ensure a comprehensive framework. Second, you will also design methods to systematically evaluate a range of models against these established standards and values. This contribution ensures the responsible deployment of AI within the police force and maximizes the efficiency of utilizing publicly available models.
Through these efforts, you will significantly contribute to fostering an ethical and accountable AI culture within the organization.
Requirements
- You hold an MSc in computer science, data science, or another relevant subject, with practical machine learning/artificial intelligence courses and relevant project and thesis experience.
- You have a keen interest in human-AI interaction and explainable AI and enjoy collaborating with experts in different disciplines.
- You thrive on conducting research geared to real-world application in the security domain and are intrinsically motivated to collaborate with the Netherlands Police.
- You harness your communication skills to work with different scientific and non-scientific stakeholders in different work cultures.
- You have a good command of written and spoken English, as you will be working in an international environment. Since you will be working with the Netherlands police, it is an advantage if you also have a good command of the Dutch language
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 5-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of two employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 3,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met. The additional fifth year (compared to a standard 4 year PhD program) accommodates for the extra activities to get to know the police organisation and to secure the results in the police organisation.
Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. In the 5th year, you will receive a temporary monthly allowance based on the gross difference between salary scale P, step 3 and salary scale 10, step 3.
As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.
For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.
At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.
Challenge. Change. Impact!
Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment - which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.
Additional information
As you will be working in the security domain, you must undergo a security screening executed by the Dutch government before starting this position. This screening will take on average 2 to 3 months and could be up to 6 months. A positive outcome of the screening is a prerequisite for the contract for this PhD position to come into effect. At least a BO screening is needed for this PhD position.
Pending the screening result, a temporary employment contract as a researcher can be offered for up to 4 months, if requested by the candidate. This contract will be converted to a PhD contract upon a positive screening result.
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than
Please note:
- A screening will be part of the selection procedure.
- You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
- Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.