PhD Fellow in Human-Computer Interaction with Explainable AI

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PhD Fellow in Human-Computer Interaction with Explainable AI

Department of Computer Science
Faculty of SCIENCE
University of Copenhagen
The Natural Language Processing Section at the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in Human-Centric Explainable Natural Language Understanding.

The start date is expected to be 1 September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The position
The position is offered in the context of an interdisciplinary project on Human-Centered Explainable Retrieval-Augmented LLMs funded by Independent Research Foundation Denmark, led by Isabelle Augenstein and Irina Shklovski. The PhD student's research is expected to focus on explanation steering for human-centric RAG. In addition to the PIs and the PhD student, the team also includes a postdoctoral researcher in human-computer interaction to be recruited as well as external collaborators, including in information retrieval.

The PhD student to be recruited in this call is expected to define their PhD project within the scope of the overall project and collaborate with the larger project team.

Who are we looking for?
Applicants should hold a MSc degree or equivalent in Computer Science or a related field, and have good written and oral English skills. The assessment of qualifications will also be made based on previous scientific publications (if any) and relevant work experience. The ideal candidate would have
an educational background, prior research or work experience in ML or NLP
.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?
The successful candidate will join the CopeNLU group at the University of Copenhagen. CopeNLU is a vibrant and collaborative research group led by Isabelle Augenstein and Pepa Atanasova with a focus on researching methods for tasks that require a deep understanding of language, as opposed to shallow processing. We are interested in core methodology research on, among others, learning with limited training data, interpretable and explainable AI; as well as applications thereof to tasks such as fact checking and question answering. With a strong focus on both foundational and applied research, we provide a platform for exploring cutting-edge topics in NLP, while also emphasizing the importance of transparent and responsible AI development.

We are affiliated with the Natural Language Processing Section in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen, as well as with the Pioneer Centre for AI, at the Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen. The group is co-located with the Pioneer Centre for AI in central Copenhagen. The Natural Language Processing Section provides a strong, international and diverse environment for research within core as well as emerging topics in natural language processing. The Natural Language Processing research environment at the University of Copenhagen is internationally leading, as e.g. evidenced by it being ranked second in Europe according to CSRankings. Further information about research at the Department is available here: .

The principal supervisor
is
Prof. Isabelle Augenstein, Department of Computer Science, email:

, and the co-supervisor is Irina Shklovski, email:

.
The PhD programme
You Can Undertake The PhD Programme As
A
three year full-time study
within the framework of
the regular PhD programme
(5+3 scheme),
if you already
have an education
equivalent to a relevant Danish Master's degree.
Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme
Qualifications Needed For The Regular Programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme equivalent to a Danish Master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the position, i.e. NLP and ML. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as a PhD fellow is full time, on site in Copenhagen, and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific position formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities
and tasks in the PhD programme

• Carry out a research project with increasing autonomy from your supervisors
• Collaborate with researchers both within the research group, and with external project partners
• Author scientific papers aimed at high-impact venues
• Disseminate research nationally and internationally
• Attend PhD courses on general skills development such as academic writing, as well as relevant specialised courses such as ML or NLP summer schools
• Conduct a change of scientific environment, preferable abroad
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We Are Looking For The Following Qualifications

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD position
• Relevant educational background
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mindset with a strong interest in explainable NLU
• Good written and oral English language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please Include

• Cover Letter detailing your motivation and background for applying for this PhD position;
• Research Statement detailing your desired research focus and goals for the PhD studies within the scope of the specified position. The research statement should demonstrate your independent thinking by outlining a concrete research direction within explainable NLU you wish to explore, including: specific research questions you aim to address, preliminary ideas on methodological approaches you would employ, connections to existing literature, and the potential impact and applications;
• Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position;
• Original diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted;
• Publication list (if available);
• Names and contact details of three references.

Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is
1 February 2026
, 23:59 GMT +1
.
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by unbiased expert assessors. You will be notified about whether your application will be selected for assessment.

The assessors will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above-mentioned research area, skills and other requirements. The assessors will conclude whether each applicant is qualified. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessments. You can read about the recruitment process at

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in Weeks 12 and 13.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website:

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.
APPLY NOW

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe's top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.

Info

Application deadline:

Employment start:

Working hours:
Full time

Department/Location:
Department of Computer Science

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