PhD Candidate- Empowering healthcare providers and patients through transparent AI based decision-making

Join a pioneering team making AI in healthcare more transparent and trustworthy, bridging technology and practice to ensure AI-supported decision making fosters trust and transparency among healthcare providers and patients.

Dit ga je doen

About the DECIDE project

The DECIDE project 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 and trustworthy AI systems, with a focus on AI-supported decision-making to empower 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.

Your role as a PhD student

This PhD project focuses on how AI transparency and trustworthiness can be meaningfully implemented in real-world healthcare contexts, such as diagnostic decision support or patient outcome predictions. Your research will focus on how patients, healthcare providers, and researchers can understand and trust AI-generated outputs, diagnoses, or predictions, and how this understanding can be supported through technical, medical, scientific, and communication strategies. The overarching aim is to contribute to the development of transparent, explainable, and trustworthy AI models that improve decision-making in healthcare while respecting patient autonomy, safety, and privacy.

As a PhD candidate, you will be part of a multidisciplinary team of PhD students and become part of a vibrant inter- and transdisciplinary research community. You will:

• Collaborate across disciplines and with societal stakeholders to achieve real-world impact.
• Participate in joint training programs on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research methods, citizen engagement, and ethical AI.
• Contribute to cutting-edge research that bridges theory and practice.

Hier ga je werken

You will be based within the Epidemiology Methods and Data Science team of the Julius Center at UMC Utrecht. You will collaborate closely with healthcare experts and with specialists in AI transparency, explainability, and deployment both within and outside UMC Utrecht, as well as with consortium partners from across the DECIDE network.

Dit neem je mee

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD researcher to join the DECIDE project at UMC Utrecht. Your research will focus on the responsible and transparent use of AI in healthcare, contributing to the overarching goal of democratizing AI through transparent decision-making.

You have:

• An MSc in statistics, applied mathematics, computer science, data science, AI, biomedical sciences, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Demonstrable experience with research programming, e.g., in Python, Julia, or R.
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Affinity with societal impact, citizen engagement, or ethical AI.
• A genuine interest in healthcare applications of AI, such as clinical decision support.
• Excellent communication skills and proficiency in English; Dutch is a plus.

Dit bieden we jou

• Year-end bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 70% of the monthly contribution.
• 100% public transport reimbursement. If you come on foot, by bike, or by car, you will receive a reimbursement of € 0.18 per km (by car up to a maximum of 40 km one way).
• Possibilities to develop yourself personally and professionally.
• The option to select additional employment benefits in exchange for gross salary, such as purchasing a bicycle and memberships.