The Faculty of Science and the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) are looking for a:

PhD candidate for the StorytimeLM project

Language models (LMs) are one of the pillars of the “generative turn” in AI and have revolutionised how we think about language processing in machines. Following evidence that capabilities scale with size, we have seen a trend towards ever bigger models in terms of parameters and training data size, which has led to a number of concerns including energy consumption and the impossibility of checking immensely large datasets for such crucial factors as information quality and copyright. In this project we research whether using narrative data for pre-training language models can help to make them smaller and more versatile.

Key responsibilities

The PhD candidate will be placed within the Social Intelligence Modelling lab (SIMlab) and the Text Mining and Retrieval group, and be supervised by dr. Gijs Wijnholds, dr. Max van Duijn, and prof. Suzan Verberne. The position involves the following key responsibilities:

• Gather, curate, and compile narrative datasets;
• Set up an infrastructure for pre-training language models with varying sizes and architectures;
• Evaluate language models on a variety of measures and downstream tasks;
• Publish articles in academic journals and present at international conferences;
• Collaborate with other PhD researchers and senior researchers within LIACS;
• Assist in relevant teaching and organizational activities.

Selection Criteria

The successful applicant should be a highly motivated university graduate with a strong track record as demonstrated by relevant experience, grades, and/or publications. The applicant is expected to have:

• An MSc degree in Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, Data science, Computer science, or comparable;
• Strong programming skills in Python;
• Demonstrable experience (in master thesis and course/research projects) with machine learning and generative AI, preferably with model training;
• An open mind towards novel approaches that involve thinking interdisciplinarily;
• Excellent communication skills in English;
• Ability and drive to be part of two research groups and operate in an interdisciplinary environment.
• A background check may be part of the selection procedure.
  

Research at our faculty

The Faculty of Science is a world-class faculty where staff and students work together in a dynamic international environment. It is a faculty where personal and academic development are top priorities. Our people are committed to expand fundamental knowledge by curiosity and to look beyond the borders of their own discipline; their aim is to benefit science, and to make a contribution to addressing the major societal challenges of the future.

The research carried out at the Faculty of Science is very diverse, ranging from mathematics, information science, astronomy, physics, chemistry and bio-pharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences. The research activities are organised in eight institutes. These institutes offer eight bachelor’s and twelve master’s programmes. The faculty has grown strongly in recent years and now has more than 2.300 staff and almost 5,000 students. We are located at the heart of Leiden’s Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s biggest science parks, where university and business life come together. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science and https://workingat.leiden.edu/

The Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) is the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Institute in the Faculty of Science of Leiden University. We offer courses at the Bachelor and Master of Science level in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, ICT in Business, Media Technology, and Bioinformatics. According to an independent research visitation, we are one of the foremost computer science departments of the Netherlands. We strive for excellence in a caring institute, where excellence, fun, and diversity go hand in hand. We offer a clear and inviting career path to young and talented scientists with the ambition to grow. For more information about LIACS, see https://www.cs.leiden.edu

Terms and conditions

We offer a full-time 1-year term position for initially one year. After a positive evaluation of the progress of the thesis, personal capabilities and compatibility the appointment will be extended by a further three years. Salary ranges from € 2.872,- to € 3.670,- gross per month (pay scale P in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8,3%), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

All our PhD students are embedded in the Leiden University Graduate School of Science www.graduateschools.leidenuniv.nl. Our graduate school offers several PhD training courses at three levels: professional courses, skills training and personal effectiveness. In addition, advanced courses to deepen scientific knowledge are offered by the research school.

D&I statement
Diversity and inclusion are core values of Leiden University. Leiden University is committed to becoming an inclusive community which enables all students and staff to feel valued and respected and to develop their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High quality teaching and research is inclusive.

Information
Enquiries can be made to m.j.van.duijn@liacs.leidenuniv.nl. If you have any questions about the procedure, please mail to: jobs@liacs.leidenuniv.nl.

Applications
Please submit online your application via the blue button in the vacancy. Please ensure that you upload the following additional documents quoting the vacancy number:

• CV
• Motivation letter
• Sample of written work (publication or MSc thesis) + 100-word motivation of the sample
• Transcript of courses taken and results obtained

Only applications received before the 11th of October 2024 can be considered.