Faculty of Computer Science :
Artificial Intelligence and Society

In order to fill a fixed-term position in full-time (39.83 hours/week = 100%) at the earliest possible date, we are looking for 1

PhD Researcher (m,f,x) on Human-Centric Large Language Models (3 years)

The Ruhr area, one of Europe’s largest metropolitan regions, provides attractive career opportunities for outstanding scientists and scholars from around the world. In 2021, Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen established the Research Alliance Ruhr to consolidate their pioneering international research on humanity's most pressing challenges. This alliance encompasses four research centers and a college, marking a new chapter in our enduring collaboration as the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), a vibrant community of 14,000 researchers and 120,000 students located in the heart of Germany. Join us and contribute to cutting-edge research at RC Trust, where innovation meets real-world impact. As part of the Research Alliance Ruhr, the Research Center for Trustworthy Data Science and Security unites the expertise of its member universities to bridge the gaps between Psychology & Social Sciences, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Data Science & Statistical Learning, and Cybersecurity & Privacy. We are seeking to fill a PhD position focused on Human-Centric LLMs as soon as possible. This is a full-time position, with compensation according to the public service agreement: TV-L E12/13.

Scope:

full-time

Duration:

fixed-term, 3 Jahre

Start:

at the earliest possible date

Apply by:

2026-08-17

Your tasks:

Conduct empirical and theoretical research on Large Language Models (LLMs)
Design and execute experiments to assess how LLM outputs align with societal values
Train and fine-tune LLMs
Independently analyze quantitative data
Collaborate with researchers from different disciplines to develop innovative approaches for human-centered use of LLMs.

Your profile:

Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics or Statistics.
Solid grasp of the fundamental ML concepts like bias-variance tradeoff, generalization and cross-validation.
Prior working experience with NLP and LLMs.
Experience with Python and ML frameworks like PyTorch and HuggingFace Transformers.
High proficiency in English, both written and spoken, for scientific publications and presentations

We offer:

Employment at one of the largest universities in Germany within the University Alliance Ruhr
Collaboration in a committed and appreciative team
Extensive training and professional development opportunities
Support in combining family life and work (including childcare arrangements/holiday offers/mobile playroom)
A varied sports program with around 100 sport disciplines and the university's own gym

You will work in a multidisciplinary team on collaborative research projects. The PhD position will be located at Ruhr University Bochum. You will be supervised by Prof. Bilal Zafar (Ruhr University Bochum). The position is embedded in a creative, dynamic, and internationally renowned research environment. Your research will play a crucial role in developing our new Research Center and promoting trustworthy technology to the general public. Our extensive international network of researchers and industry partners ensures a seamless transition into your next career step, whether in academia or international research institutions. We prioritize a balanced and family-friendly work-life relationship, offering options for flexible working hours and part-time remote home-office arrangements.

Further information:

The position is salaried and based on the collective agreement of the Länder (TV-L). If the personal and collective agreement requirements are met, the employee will receive pay grade E12/13 TV-L.

Further information can be found at https://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/ (in German).

The place of work is Ruhr University Bochum.

If the position is funded by third-party funds the employee has no teaching obligation.

Further information about the group AI and Society led by Bilal Zafar can be found at: http://informatik.rub.de/aisoc/ If you have any further questions, please contact: [email protected]

RUB sees itself as a university with an international presence. The campus languages are German and English. Competence in at least one of the two languages and the willingness to learn the other are a prerequisite. RUB provides corresponding free courses for employees.

German language courses are offered by the University Language Center (ZFA) in the field of German as a Foreign Language (DaF). https://www.daf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/daf/mitarbeitende/index.html.en

The Staff Council has the right to participate in all selection interviews. At the request of a candidate (m/f/x), it will ensure its participation in the entire procedure. Please contact [email protected].

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum is one of Germany’s leading research universities, addressing the whole range of academic disciplines. A highly dynamic setting enables researchers and students to work across the traditional boundaries of academic subjects and faculties. To create knowledge networks within and beyond the university is Ruhr-Universität Bochum’s declared aim.

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum stands for diversity and equal opportunities. For this reason, we favour a working environment composed of heterogeneous teams, and seek to promote the careers of individuals who are underrepresented in our respective professional areas. The Ruhr-Universität Bochum expressly requests job applications from women. In areas in which they are underrepresented they will be given preference in the case of equivalent qualifications with male candidates. Applications from individuals with disabilities are most welcome.

Contact persons for further information:

Annika Wenke , Tel.: +49 234 32 17818
Prof. Dr. Bilal Zafar

Travel costs, accommodation costs and loss of earnings or other application costs for job interviews can unfortunately not be reimbursed.

We look forward to receiving your application via our online application portal by 2026-08-17. Please make sure to mention the reference number ANR 5863.

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