PhD Position: Combining Machine Learning and Symbolic Reasoning for Drug Safety

Are you an excellent Artificial Intelligence researcher with a Msc diploma in AI or Computer Science, do you want to work on combining machine learning and symbolic reasoning techniques for the benefit of patients? Then please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)

AMSTERDAM

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We seek an excellent and motivated PhD candidate in a multidisciplinary project using techniques from Artificial Intelligence to improve medication safety in patients with chronic kidney diseases. The LEAPfROG project (“Leveraging real-world data to optimize pharmacotherapy outcomes in multimorbid patients by using machine learning and knowledge representation methods”) develops methods, tools and algorithms to: 1) create high quality real-world data from electronic health records of patients; 2) create computer-interpretable medical domain knowledge; 3) combining learning from real-world patient data and reasoning with medical domain knowledge sources (included topics: prediction models, causal inference, explainability, interpretability), and lastly 4) create a prototype for a clinical decision support system for physicians, pharmacists and patients in which the developed methods, tools and algorithms are integrated to support decisions making at-the-bedside. The LEAPfROG project is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) within the program “Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) - Key Technologies 2020”. 

You will closely collaborate with PhD candidates working on LEAPfROG at the Dept. of Medical Informatics in the AMC. Furthermore you will collaborate with our key end-users (physicians, pharmacists and patients), with data-stewards, and with experts medical-ethics and medical laws. Please see LEAPfROG project website (https://www.pharmacoinformaticslab.nl/leapfrog-project/ ) for more information.

The suitable PhD candidate should have a strong interest in developing and applying learning and reasoning techniques (in particular the combination of these techniques) and an interest in the medical domain, specifically improving medication safety. The position will be under supervision of prof. Annette ten Teije and prof. Frank van Harmelen in the Knowledge Representation & Reasoning group, a world-leading group in knowledge representation and semantic technologies. 

Your duties

• conduct research and publish results at conferences and in academic journals, leading to a PhD thesis 
• collaborate within the team at the VU, the wider LeapFrog project team and with experts in the field
• contribute to teaching, by supervising MSc and BSc thesis projects and some teaching assistant tasks

• Msc degree in Artificial Intelligence or Computer Science and an interest in the medical domain.  
• Good knowledge in either symbolic AI techniques (e.g data modelling, semantic technologies) Machine Learning is required. Knowledge of both is a plus. 
• Good communication and presentation skills in English are required. Due to the use of medical data, language skills in Dutch is a plus. 
• The ability to work in a multidisciplinary team. 

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 (PhD) per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 (PhD) per month during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 1 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 18 months. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 4 years.
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment 
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• possibility to save holiday hours, for sabbatical leave
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• contribution to commuting expenses

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science inspires researchers and students to find sustainable solutions for complex societal issues. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to medicines and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research programmes cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. We share knowledge and experience with leading research institutes and industries, both here in the Netherlands and abroad.

Working at the Faculty of Science means working with students, PhD candidates and researchers, all with a clear focus on their field and a broad view of the world. We employ more than 1,250 staff members, and we are home to more than 11,000 students.

About the department

The VU Department of Computer Science has approximately 170 staff members, including 35 tenured staff and 40-50 PhD students. Lecturers form a critical and essential basis for the functioning of the department, providing foundational education that helps determine the future of our students.

Our research and our students are diverse, covering disciplines such as Social sciences, Humanities, Economics, and Bioinformatics. Currently, we offer programs in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Information Sciences (BSc and MSc), and Bioinformatics and Systems Biology (MSc), with a total of around 1000 new students each year.

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter until

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Prof. Anette ten Teije or Prof. Frank van Harmelen
E-mail: annette.ten.teije@vu. nl or [email protected]

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