PhD position AI Governance & Regulation – Work Package 6 in the DECIDE Project (Democratizing AI: Empowering Citizens through Transparent Decision-making (1.0 fte)

The DECIDE project (https://decideproject.nl) is a large-scale, NWO-funded research initiative under the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA). It brings together 10 Dutch universities, over 50 academic researchers, and 30 societal partners in an ambitious inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration. Our shared mission is to develop strategies towards the design and implementation of a new generation of transparent, citizen-empowering AI systems, with a focus on AI-supported decision-making that contribute to the empowerment and democratic participation of citizens.

The project addresses real-world challenges across domains such as healthcare, mobility, public governance, and healthy lifestyles. By co-developing strategies with societal stakeholders, DECIDE aims to create solutions that have tangible impact on society.

DECIDE is organized into 10 work packages (WPs): Six WPs focus on disciplinary perspectives in psychology, education, computer sciences, law, and philosophy; four WPs address citizen-empowerment-scenarios (CES) in healthcare, mobility, public governance, and healthy living.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD researcher to join the University of Groningen. You will be an inter-Faculty PhD student jointly based at the interdisciplinary Faculty Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden and the Faculty of Arts in the city center of Groningen. The supervision will be carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Twente, with a background in computing sciences, and who have technical AI knowledge and experience with applying AI in practical settings such as healthcare.

• Collaborate across disciplines with other PhD candidates, postdocs, and with societal stakeholders to achieve real-world impact.
• Participate in joint training programs on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research methods, citizen engagement, and summer schools.
• Contribute to cutting-edge research that bridges theory and practice.
• Map the rapidly evolving AI regulatory landscape, including the EU AI Act, any associated and implementing legislation/policies, and adjacent frameworks such as data protection laws.
• Investigate how AI regulations can be made practical and tangible for citizens, businesses, and public institutions.
• Communicate with computer sciences to investigate how legal requirements can be technically implemented.
• Engage with stakeholders through surveys, workshops, and co-creation sessions to identify challenges and opportunities in AI adoption.
• Develop policy recommendations and guidelines to enhance transparency, accountability, and trust in AI systems.
• Publish research findings in academic journals and present at conferences.

You are curious, proactive, and passionate about making AI work better for society. You are flexible and thrive in collaborative settings. You are eager to translate complex regulations into actionable insights. You are excited to explore how AI regulation and governance can empower citizens and shape a fairer and better digital future.

Qualifications

Essential:

• A Master’s degree with a focus on AI Regulation and Governance.
• A strong interest and passion for working in interdisciplinary settings, especially with colleagues from law, political economy, data science and philosophy, or a combination of those.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with expertise/experience in legal and empirical research (interviews, focus groups, survey design, etc.).
• Interest in working with data and data science methods (to generate insight from measurements for AI system evaluation).
• Excellent proficiency in English.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of AI ethics, data protection, or digital rights.
• Familiarity with policy analysis or stakeholder engagement.
• Mastering Dutch is an asset as the project is focused on citizen participation/engagement.