PhD student position in Natural Language Processing

Information about the project
The Data Science and AI division at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Chalmers is recruiting a PhD student in natural language processing.

The newly started project is titled "Representation learning for Conversational AI", and is a collaboration project between Chalmers and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. The aim of the project is to develop generic language models for spoken conversation, as well as new methods for analysis and interpretation of these models. Whereas traditional language models in NLP (such as BERT) have focused on written language, we want to model spoken conversation, where aspects such as speech acts, turn-taking, incremental processing and prosody are of importance. This means that the models will have to process both text and audio (and potentially other modalities). In collaboration with industry, we will then explore how such models can be used for applications such as conversational systems, voice assistants and social robots.

More information about the project can be found here: https://www.kth.se/profile/skantze/page/phd-student-position-representation-learning-for-conversational-ai

The PhD position is supported by WASP (Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program), a major national initiative and the largest individual research program in Sweden, see wasp-sweden.org).

Major responsibilities
Your main responsibility as a PhD student is to pursue your doctoral studies within the framework of the outlined research project. You will be enrolled in a graduate program in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. You will also be part of the WASP Graduate School (wasp-sweden.org/graduate-school) and will be able to take the courses and participate in other scientific activities provided by WASP. You are expected to develop your own ideas and communicate scientific results orally as well as in written form. In addition, the position includes 20% departmental work, mostly as a teaching assistant in Chalmers' undergraduate and masters-level courses or performing other departmental tasks.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

Qualifications
To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's-level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in a relevant field at the time of start. The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in English.

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg. 
Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

PLEASE READ MORE AND APPLY HERE.

Application deadline: 1 September, 2021

For questions, please contact:
Richard Johansson,
CSE/DSAI,
richard.johansson@cse.gu.se,
+46 31-772 1887

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 
   



Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our six Areas of Advance; Energy, Health Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Materials Science, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!