AAA Data Science Postdoctoral researcher complex network theory large knowledge graphs

Department of Computer Science (VU) & Institute for Informatics (UvA)

Amsterdam Data Science, an initiative of the University of Amsterdam (UvA), VU University Amsterdam (VU), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), and Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) is looking for 14 researchers at the postdoctoral/PhD level. These positions are funded by the Amsterdam Academic Alliance (AAA), a joint initiative of the UvA and VU aimed at intensifying collaboration with each other and knowledge institutions in the region, to cement Amsterdam's position as a hub of academic excellence. These positions are partially co-funded by CWI, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of the UvA, HvA, ORTEC, Spinoza fund of Prof. Vossen, and VUmc.

Amsterdam Data Science provides a network in which some 300 Amsterdam based scientists exchange Data Science knowledge and forge partnerships within and outside the academic community. This comprises the foundations of data science and data science for the life sciences, social analytics, business analytics, and digital humanities.

This advertisement concerns one of the 14 positions. This postdoctoral researcher position is with Prof. Van Harmelen of the Department of Computer Science, VU and Prof. Adriaans of the Informatics Institute, UvA (group of Prof. Cees de Laat). Data science is a strategic direction for both the Informatics Institute of the UvA and the Department of Computer Science of the VU.

Project description

The Web of Data, a collection of machine-interpretable facts on the Web, has become the largest knowledge base ever built. With thousands of datasets worldwide, and with billions of facts, it is the first knowledge base large enough to begin displaying complex system properties. Very little is known about the structure of this very large knowledge graph. What is the structure of this knowledge graph at different aggregation levels? What are the principles that govern the emergent structure of knowledge graphs? How can we measure the amount of knowledge encoded in a particular subgraph? This project will take a radical departure from classical logic-based knowledge representation, and will use insights from information theory and from the theory of complex networks to find answers to these questions.

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science or equivalent titles;
• excellent English writing and presentation skills;
• familiarity with either information theory or the theory of complex networks;
• willingness and ability to work in a team.

Further information

• Frank van Harmelen
  T: +31(0)20 598 7731

Appointment

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of three years. Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,476 to €3,908 (scale 10) depending on expertise and previous experience. The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities is applicable.

Job application

Applications may only be submitted via application-science@uva.nl. To process your application immediately, please quote vacancy number 15-113 and the position you are applying for in the subject-line. Applications must include a detailed curriculum vitae, a motivation letter explaining why you are the right candidate, list of projects you have worked on with brief descriptions of your contributions and the names and contact addresses of two academic references from which information about the candidate can be obtained. All these should be grouped in one PDF attachment.

Applications will be accepted until 10 May 2015.

No agencies please