PhD Position: Traceable Inference in Bayesian Networks at the Donders Centre for Cognition

1. Introduction

Are you interested in designing and analysing algorithms for Bayesian networks that contribute to traceability, source attribution, and justification in clinical decision support systems? Do you like to work in an interdisciplinary team with lawyers, oncologists, ethicists, and AI specialists to develop algorithms and development methods for accountable AI? Then this position may be for you! 

2. Job description

In this PhD position you will be part of the Ethical, Legal, and Societal Aspects (ELSA) lab on legal, regulatory and policy aspects of clinical decision support systems. This interdisciplinary lab studies which technological, ethical and legal requirements need to be imposed on the development and use of clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) so that their use in clinics can be subject to rigorous quality control and certification. The work package you will work on is about traceability, source attribution and justification in CDSSs, that is, decision support systems where the underlying model (a Bayesian or Credal network) is annotated with the origin of the information it captures. This allows for accountable development and use of these systems. Your task will be to study how accountability can be facilitated by traceable development and annotated inference and explanation in (variants of) Bayesian networks. We thus focus on the technological advances necessary to realise accountability in the usage of CDSSs.

You will be part of the Probabilistic Graphical Models group at the Donders Centre for Cognition as well as the interdisciplinary team of researchers and PhD candidates on this consortium project. In addition to research in this domain, you will contribute to teaching in the BSc and MSc programmes in AI, follow courses offered by the Donders Graduate school as well as participate in the IPA and SIKS national research schools, and collaborate with inspiring colleagues in the international PGM research community. Your teaching load may be up to 10% of your appointment.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile

• You have an MSc in computer science, applied mathematics, artificial intelligence, or a related discipline.
• You have a strong interest in performing foundational algorithmics and machine learning research.
• You have mature mathematical knowledge and programming skills (e.g. demonstrated in your MSc thesis research project).
• You have good writing and presentation skills, a good command of the English language, and demonstrable skills in interdisciplinary collaboration (e.g. in your study programme).
• Knowledge of and/or experience in Bayesian networks is appreciated.

4. We are

The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour is a world-class interfaculty research centre that houses more than 700 researchers devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of the human mind. Research at the Donders Institute is focused around four themes: 1. Language and communication, 2. Perception, action and control, 3. Plasticity and memory, 4. Neural computation and neurotechnology. Excellent, state-of-the-art research facilities are available for the broad range of neuroscience research that is being conducted at the Donders Institute. The Donders Institute has been assessed by an international evaluation committee as ‘excellent’ and recognised as a ‘very stimulating environment for top researchers, as well as for young talent’. The Donders Institute fosters a collaborative, multidisciplinary and supportive research environment with a diverse international staff. English is the lingua franca at the Institute.

You will join the Probabilistic Graphical Models Group at the Donders institute and you be supervised by Dr Marcos de Paula Bueno and Prof Johan Kwisthout. Our group studies the foundations and applications of probabilistic graphical models (PGMs). The group's research is centred around two research lines: PGMs for decision support systems and foundations of stochastic computing. The first line focuses on aspects such as explainability, trustworthiness, maintainability, and online or federated learning in Bayesian networks and other PGM models, particularly with an application in clinical decision support systems. The second research line focuses on topics such as approximate Bayesian inference, (parameterised) complexity classes for stochastic computing, and the realisation of probability distributions and computations on them in novel materials and computing architectures. This position contributes to the first research line.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (0.8 FTE 5- year contract - 1.0 FTE 4- year contract) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract) or 3.5 years (5-year contract).
• You will receive a starting salary of €2,901 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €€3,707 from the fourth year onwards (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Johan Kwisthout. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place on Monday 23 June. You will preferably start your employment on 1 September 2025.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates. If you wish to apply for a non-scientific position with a non-EU nationality, please take notice of the following information.