Vacancy published for a PhD Candidate

The Asser Institute invites applications for a

PhD Candidate in Public International Law with a focus on law and technologies in the military context

Full-time (38 hours per week)

The PhD researcher will join the NWO-MVI funded interdisciplinary research project DILEMA on Designing International Law and Ethics into Military Artificial Intelligence. 

Project description

The DILEMA project explores the conditions and modalities that would allow to leverage the potential benefits of AI technologies in the military while abiding by the rule of law and ethical values. An interdisciplinary research team will work in dialogue and together with partners to address the ethical, legal, and technical dimensions of the project. The research team will investigate why it is essential to safeguard human agency over certain functions and activities, where it is most critical to maintain the role of human agents in order to ensure legal compliance and accountability, and how to technically ensure that military technologies are designed and deployed in line with ethical and legal frameworks.

Within this project, the Asser Institute invites applications for a post-doctoral researcher with a background in philosophy and ethics, to conduct research aimed at pinpointing fundamental rationales for safeguarding human agency when developing or deploying highly-automated military technologies. The post-doctoral researcher will engage in fundamental research on the functions of human agency, and analyse how current or future AI systems could affect these functions. She/he will test the assumption that human agency enables the realisation of public values and is a precondition to compliance with international norms and accountability. The post-doctoral researcher will also work in collaboration with other members of the DILEMA research team, and contribute to developing policy and technical guidance on military AI.

Tasks

• Conduct fundamental research within the DILEMA project, resulting in a doctoral thesis;
• Publish articles in high-level academic journals;
• Present research at international conferences;
• Assist in the organization of research and dissemination activities within the DILEMA project;
• Work together with the other team members of the DILEMA project;
• Contribute actively to the Asser research community.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in international law;
• Very strong analytical and writing skills;
• A demonstrated interest in, and high motivation for, academic research;
• A strong research interest in international law and technologies, artificial intelligence, and military affairs;
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Fluency in English.

Conditions

• The employee will be appointed at the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Law School, and seconded to the Asser Institute.
• The initial appointment is for one year. Subject to a positive assessment, the appointment will be extended for three additional years.
• The gross full-time monthly salary will be in accordance with the salary scales of the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities, scale P, ranging from €2,325 to €2,972 gross per month (full-time). Secondary benefits at Dutch universities are attractive and include 8% holiday pay and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.

Applications

The deadline to apply to this position as elapsed.