PhD position within Science and Technology Studies, Computational Anthropology, and value align

The Culturally Explainable AI (CXAI) project is looking for a PhD with strong foundations in computational methods and the anthropology of technology.

If you wish to build the foundations for a research career with a focus on human-centred artificial intelligence, this is your chance to become part of a cutting-edge research agenda at DTU. Together with Anders Kristian Munk (supervisor) and Brit Ross Winthereik (co-supervisor), you will be part of developing the newly established ECHOlab (The Observatory for Human-Centred Engineering), experimenting with large-scale integrations of anthropology and LLM-based methods.

You will be part of a larger research project funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) and led by Anders Kristian Munk, and you will be anchored in a vibrant Science & Technology Studies (STS) research environment at the Section for Human-Centred Engineering led by Tanja Schneider as part of the Division for Technology and Business Studies at DTU. Further, the project includes collaborators in Bergen, Stockholm, and Helsinki, securing access to fieldwork and internationalization opportunities.

Value alignment is currently one of the most hotly debated topics in human-centred AI. However, we lack a proper anthropological theory of what constitutes cultural values in LLM outputs and how such values become negotiated when they encounter the user. This is fundamentally a socio-technical problem involving both the way LLMs converge on patterns in training data, the ways LLMs can be tinkered with and unblackboxed by users, and the cultural repertoires users have available and develop to make sense of their encounters with LLMs. The project investigates this problem by conducting field experiments with users in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland with the objective of proposing an anthropological theory of cultural value alignment with AI.

Responsibilities and qualifications

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree. The ideal candidate has practical experience with LLMs, computational methods, setting up design-based field experiments with users, and a background in anthropology or similar cultural sciences. You must be prepared for shorter 1-week field trips to Norway, Sweden and Finland, and you must take an interest in cross-disciplinary work while wanting to situate your research within Science and Technology Studies/Anthropology of Technology.

Approval and Enrolment

The scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education.

We offer

DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years. The preferred starting date is 1 August 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Anders Kristian Munk, ankm@dtu.dk. You can read more about the Department Technology, Management and Economics (DTU Management) at www.man.dtu.dk. If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar "PhD relocation to Denmark and startup "Zoom" seminar" for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure

Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 May 2025 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

1. A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
4. Support letter from academic supervisor or collaborator (not mandatory)

A piece of your own writing reflecting on cultural value alignment with LLMs and how to study it in practice, particularly integrating computational methods and anthropological perspectives. Use of AI assistants (like ChatGPT or similar) to write the proposal will disqualify the application.

You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

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