These vacancies for three postdoctoral research positions are part of an EU-funded ‘ERC Advanced Grant’, titled “Understanding Human-Robot Bonding to Optimize Personal Support” [ROBOT-BOND], awarded to prof. dr. Elly A. Konijn (PI) with a total duration of 5 years. See: https://vu.nl/en/news/2024/erc-advanced-grant-for-professor-of-media-psychology-elly-konijn.

The overarching aim of the ERC-project ROBOT-BOND is to develop and empirically validate a new theory on Human-Robot-Bonding for longer term interactions focusing on various target groups. The different target groups include children, adolescents, students, and adults. Social robots are being developed to assist professionals in areas in healthcare and education, where they face serious shortages in human personnel. Our project focuses specifically on developing scenarios to provide support for those who need a little extra in the social and communicative realm. Establishing some form of a bond between the human user and a robot is seen as essential to effectively use a social robot over longer time. The research team will compare different types of robots in varying contexts, with different tasks and different target groups. Within this research program, we integrate research from the perspectives of Communication Science and Media Psychology, with Developmental and Clinical Psychology, Computer Sciences/AI, Human-Robot-Interaction, and Natural Language Processing in focus groups, experiments, and field studies. The three postdoctoral researchers will closely collaborate with two PhD-candidates that are currently hired in the same project, among others.

Your duties
Collaborate in an interdisciplinary team (media psychology, developmental and clinical psychology, computational linguistics, computer sciences/AI) to further develop and empirically validate a theory on affective bonding with social robots through focus groups and field studies in special needs education (postdoc-1), care for disabled (young) adults (postdoc-2) and therapeutic assistance for adolescents (postdoc-3). Jointly, during the first six months, the team will align the various sub-projects and literature reviews will bring knowledge from the diverse fields together. The team will then also prepare active consent and properly informed participant information materials in accordance with ethical guidelines, as well as acknowledging Open Science principles. First studies in each sub-project explore best fitting robot options, communication cues, users’ needs, and goals to be aligned between robots and targeted users. To assess the theoretical constructs in the model, new short-form measurement devices need to be developed and optimized through pre-testing and validation in representative samples. Further testing occurs with various robots differing in appearances and competencies within specific social contexts, related to answer the overarching research question. Together with the supervisors and team members, you will plan and execute your own research project, collaborate in others, carry out your research according to international standards and open science principles, make your research and experiments publicly available and reproducible, and publish it in leading international journals, conference proceedings, and brief reports accessible to the public at large. The postdocs will take part in the supervision of the research work of the PhD-candidates that should result in timely completion of their dissertations. In addition to building a strong research track, supervision experience is important for your academic development as well as gaining experience in teaching. Therefore, the position also allows for the possibility to add a small teaching position next to the .8 fte research position. More detailed information is available upon request.

Postdoc-1 (0.8 fte, 4 yr) will focus on robot-assisted education for children with ‘special needs’ (e.g., ASD), and thus, contribute to developing a robot as tutor for special educational tasks.

Postdoc-2 (0.8 fte, 4 yr) will focus on (physically) disabled (young) adults to be accompanied by a robot to reduce loneliness, provide companionship and stimulate social activities, thus, contribute to developing a robot as companion.

Postdoc-3 (0.8 fte, 4 yr) will focus on building a socio-affective relationship in therapeutic interventions for adolescents with mood issues (e.g., mild depression) while they are on the waiting list for treatment, thus, contribute to developing a robot as ‘therapist’ or rather ‘therapeutic assistant’.

• Having completed a PhD-degree in Communication Science (Media Psychology), Psychology (Developmental, Clinical or Clinical Psychology), Educational Sciences, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), Computational Linguistics, or closely related fields.
• Strong interest in advancing the social-psychological aspects of robots to serve in society, specifically in healthcare and education.
• Related, strong interest in psychological and mediated processes in interacting with social robots for communicative purposes.
• Ample experience with and substantial knowledge about empirical (field and/or experimental) studies and research designs.
• Strong analytical skills, including advanced statistical and programming skills; demonstrated experience with R and/or Python. Affinity with social technologies.
• Interest in, and preferably experience with, multi-method approaches combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies (e.g., focus groups and experiments).
• Demonstrated excellent academic writing skills.
• Demonstrated affinity, experience, and leadership qualities in collaborating with scientific colleagues, societal partners, and public outreach.
• Good cross-disciplinary team collaboration and oral and written communication skills.
• Interest in working in an interdisciplinary project in collaboration with various experts in communication science, psychology, computer sciences, among others.
• Experienced in following ethical guidelines for scientific research, open science principles, team science, and data management practices.
• Mastery of both Dutch and English language skills.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially involved and highly interdisciplinary organization allowing for a solid academic development to build your future career. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts from € 3,345 to € 6,148 per month, based on a full-time employment, depending on the experience and level of academic functioning. Yearly increases in salary will follow upon positive performance evaluations. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 0.8 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract for the postdocs will be extended for a total duration of 2 to 4 years (based on a 0.8 fte contract). Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as: 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus; contribution to commuting expenses; optional model for designing a personalized benefits package; a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

There is a lot of talk about robots taking part in our lives in the near future, but little is known about how robots can relate and talk to us to create a social-affective bond or to befriend. This EU-granted project “Understanding Human-Robot Bonding to Optimize Personal Support” [ROBOT-BOND]” is looking for ambitious and highly-motivated postdoc researchers and PhD-students who want to work on our robot projects in a multidisciplinary team. The purchase of 40 different social robots is foreseen (e.g., NAO, Pepper, Zeno, Navel). Our robots will be equipped with communication modules and need a personalized language to build relationships with human users in specific social contexts to examine how to optimize support. Through establishing social-affective bonds and shared experiences, robots can be enabled to communicate more efficiently and vice versa. The current program examines how, when, why and for whom affective bonding might occur through robot communication in various social contexts in healthcare and education, specifically targeting primary education, special needs education, disabled young adults, adolescents with mood issues, and university students. We will closely collaborate with specialized institutions (e.g., GGZinGeest, Philadelphia, primary schools). The multi-methodological approach pairs fundamental research with in-situ observations in education and healthcare, complementarily benefitting science and society. In this project, the three postdoctoral researchers work together with two PhD-candidates, an AI/software engineer, research assistants, and the supervisory team as well as with related researchers within and outside the department.

The research is primarily embedded in the Media Psychology Program at the department of Communication Science. Main supervisor is Prof. dr. Elly A. Konijn and other (co-)supervisors will be appointed based on relevant expertise per project. They are international key players in the field of media psychology and social robotics and have won several prestigious prizes honoring their work. You will be part of a substantial group of pioneering international researchers working on social robots for social communication.

Faculty of Social Sciences
At the Faculty of Social Sciences we examine the major social issues facing us today from a variety of critical perspectives. We combine sociology, anthropology, political science, communication science, administration and organisation. Because there aren’t any ready-made solutions to the complex social issues of today. They demand a multidisciplinary approach. Working together with others helps you expand your mind, come to new ways of understanding and devise creative solutions.

Are you interested in joining Social Sciences? That means working with a team of colleagues from different disciplines in an inspiring work and study climate. Enjoy working in a professional organisation with an informal atmosphere, where we give you space for personal development. FSS employs over 350 staff members and enrols around 3,000 students.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.