Postdoc position for project Fair Educational Assessment in the Age of AI

Description of the vacancy

Leiden University’s Institute of Public Administration is looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join the action research project “Fair Educational Assessment in the Age of AI” (FAIR-ASSESS) for a period of 2 years at 0.8 FTE (a 1.0 FTE position for a period of 2 years is possible under certain conditions).

The project aims to construct a normative framework to inform and guide recent developments in the domain of AI-assisted higher-education assessments. Specifically, the project combines theoretical work on theories of fairness applied to AI technologies and recent scholarship on fair educational assessment with empirical research that uses deliberative mini-publics methodologies to construct a fairness-based framework for analyzing, evaluating and regulating AI tools within higher-education assessment practices (e.g., exams, papers or presentations). The deliberative mini-publics (small groups deliberating on cases and materials constructed by the project team) will be conducted with students and faculty from 5 Leiden faculties and 1 Leiden inter-faculty institute.

The postdoc will work with Dr. Andrei Poama at the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs and will be part of a research network that spans 5 Leiden faculties and 1 Leiden inter-faculty institute. The members of this research network have combined expertise in political philosophy and public policy ethics, practical ethics, public administration, educational sciences, AI and digital governance, and computer science (machine learning).

The postdoc will conduct both theoretical research (with a focus on fair AI design and implementation in the education assessment domain) and empirical research (by coordinating and analysing the results of the deliberative mini-publics on fair AI-assisted assessments at Leiden University).

What you will do

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on fair educational assessments (exams, papers, presentations) that involve AI technologies;
• Coordinate deliberative mini-publics tasked to discuss and rank fair educational assessment principles with the aim to evaluate and guide AI-assisted assessments at the design, administration and evaluation (grading & feedback) stages. Deliberative mini-publics are understood as small heterogenous groups that work together to understand, deliberate and offer recommendations on a specific topic/issue;
• Analyze the findings of the deliberative mini-publics and synthesize them in an overarching report with the aim of making regulation/guideline proposals for AI-assisted assessments (at Leiden University and beyond);
• Collect and analyse information on current (at scale or piloted) practices of AI-assisted assessments in the higher-education field;
• Disseminate the project’s findings as (co-)author in high-ranking international peer-reviewed journals, publications for the general public, policy reports and other relevant formats (eg, podcasts, op-eds);
• Collaborate in presenting the project to key stakeholders, academics and policymakers/practitioners working on or interested in restructuring the governance of AI-assisted assessments.

What you bring

• Candidates hold a PhD in one or more of the following (or closely connected) disciplines: political philosophy, ethics, political science, public administration, educational sciences, computer science, AI/digital governance, sociology, organization studies or another relevant discipline;
• Candidates are collaboratively minded and have experience with/are motivated to work with diverse student and faculty teams;
• Candidates have a good command of or an ability to quickly learn and apply deliberative mini-public methodologies;
• Candidates have a promising publication record that includes publications in international refereed journals or other types of publications relevant for the discipline (eg, monographs);
• Candidates have a proven ability to communicate research findings to non-academic audiences, e.g. through publications aimed at a broader audience, media work, etc.
• In addition to proficiency in English, a good command of Dutch is considered an important asset, but it is not required.

Where you will work

The Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs is one of the seven faculties of Leiden University. The faculty has an international profile, is developing strongly and consists of various institutes and centers such as the Institute of Public Administration, the Leiden University College, the Institute of Security and Global Affairs and the Center for Professional Learning at various locations in The Hague.

Our institute

The Institute of Public Administration in The Hague is one of the largest and oldest institutions for scientific research and education in public administration in the Netherlands. It combines a strong international academic reputation with a central position among international, national, regional and local government institutions, including those in The Hague. The institute has received various national and international research grants including several VENI and VIDI grants from the Dutch National Science Organization, and grants for collaborative work from the EU (including ERC grants). In addition, the staff is also active in contract-research and teaching, which involves local and national government but also other public organizations from within Europe. The Institute of Public Administration consistently receives high ratings in peer reviews for both its teaching and research programmes.

What we offer

The position starts between 1 August and 1 October 2024. The appointment will be made initially on a one-year full-time basis, with a 1-year extension after positive evaluation. The appointment will be under the terms of the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) of Dutch Universities. The starting salary, depending on qualifications and experience, varies from € 3.226,- to € 5.090,- gross per month on a full-time basis (pay scale 10) 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 %). Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

What we find important

Leiden university is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups. Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.