PhD Position (w/m/d, No. 319-26)

All candidates should bring:

• A collaborative and open-science mindset
• Motivation to work in interdisciplinary teams
• High degree of creativity, commitment, and analytical competence

Research Scope

This is an open-topic position. We are looking for researchers who bring their own ideas that connect with HU[AM]'s broader agenda. Concrete research areas in which we are especially active include:

• How AI systems influence human ethical behavior and decision-making
• The social consequences of synthetic relationships with conversational agents
• AI-mediated communication and its effects on trust
• The use of AI in educational settings and its effects on learning outcomes
• AI as a tool for and against corruption and governance failures
• Human perception and understanding of algorithmic systems

We offer you

You will work in a multidisciplinary team on collaborative research projects envisioned by leading international experts from various domains. The PhD position will be jointly supervised by an interdisciplinary team consisting of Prof. Nils Köbis (University Duisburg-Essen) and another supervisor from one of the universities in the Rhine-Ruhr region.

The position is embedded in a creative, dynamic, and internationally renowned research environment. Your research will play a crucial role in developing our new Research Center and promoting trustworthy technology to the general public. Our extensive international network of researchers and industry partners ensures a seamless transition into your next career step, whether in academia or international research institutions.

We prioritize a balanced, family-friendly work-life balance, offering flexible working hours and part-time remote home-office arrangements.

Application deadline 2026-09-03

Code number 319-26

Application If you are interested in this position, please send your application (important: you need to mention the Ref-No. 319-26)to: sekretariat.koebis@uni-due.de Please provide the following documents as a single PDF:

a) Motivation letter (max. 1 page) describing your background and fit with HUAM

b) Research proposal (max. 1 page) structured as follows:

• What is the topic you want to do research on, and why does it matter?
• What do we already know about this topic?
• Which gap in knowledge does your project address?
• Which methods do you plan to use?

c) CV including a list of publications (if applicable)

d) Contact details of two referees willing to provide referee letters or available for short phone calls upon request

Information about the job Further information about the group Human Understanding of Algorithms and Machines led by Nils Köbis can be found at: https://rc-trust.ai/groups/human-understanding-of-machines-and-algorithms

Research Alliance Ruhr As the densest university landscape in Europe, the Metropole Ruhr offers attractive career opportunities for excellent scientists from all over the world.

In order to bundle their top international research on the major challenges facing humanity, the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, the TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen founded the Research Alliance Ruhr in 2021. Four research centres and a college have been established here.

This is the latest development in the long-standing cooperation as the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), a community of 14,000 researchers and 110,000 students.