PhD Position in Human-Computer Interaction

Intelligent Reading Interfaces to Improve Information Consumption and Critical Engagement

Reading is one of the most common and prominent ways to acquire knowledge but is also taken up as a leisure activity. While text tends to lead a rather static life on paper pages and screens, digital devices allow us to adapt the reading experience according to contextual factors, such as the text content, readers’ intention, underlying mood, etc.

This type of user and context awareness allows for adjustable reading interfaces and controls to support two fundamentally different types of reading activities:

While shallow reading helps us deal with the sheer volume of daily information, deep reading creates empathy with characters and allows us to reflect on content critically. Depending on context and content, digital devices need to support either type. Furthermore, the advent of generative Artificial Intelligence allows the instant adjustment of text and text format.

In this research, the candidate will research, design, and prototype reading interfaces that accommodate different reading activities by helping users effectively deal with their reading volume and enhance their information processing capabilities while developing a critical understanding of misleading information and manipulation attempts.

The successful candidate will:

• Work on a research agenda around intelligent reading interfaces.
• Conduct research in the field of human-computer interaction and ubiquitous computing.
• Build prototypes for current and emerging technology platforms.
• Design and implement reading interfaces with AI integration.
• Design, conduct, and report on studies that quantitatively and qualitatively investigate the effectiveness of these interfaces.

The PhD candidate should have the following skills and attributes:

• solid programming skills in a language of choice
• basic front-end design skills for web or mobile interfaces
• basic data analytics skills and knowledge of statistical methods
• ability to discuss, interrogate, and critically reflect ideas
• proficiency in English

Nice to haves:

• basic knowledge of generative AI or large language models
• experience with qualitative and qualitative research methods

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements .

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. 

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service . This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme  for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values  and we actively engage  to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Delft designers act as a bridge between advances in technology and the needs of people, organisations and society to create products, services and systems with purpose.

IDE is a leader in design research across the application areas of mobility, sustainability and health, as well as its development of design tools and methods. A 350-strong research team and over 2,000 students work together in our inspiring hall, labs and studios.

In close cooperation with industry, the public sector and NGOs we rehearse possible futures in research and education to design for a complex future.

Click here  to go to the website of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dr Tilman Dingler: [email protected]

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 31 January 2024 via the application button.

• A letter of motivation explaining why you are the right candidate for this project,
• A detailed CV, including list of publications,
• Complete lists of the courses taken during BSc and MSc with grades,
• A summary of your MSc thesis

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.