PhD Position in Logics for Multi-Agent Systems

This PhD position is on logical modelling of accountability and responsibility of agents. It is part of the ELSA (Ethical, Legal, & Societal Aspects of AI) lab on Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Aspects of Clinical Decision Support Systems. The lab is an interdisciplinary collaboration between several universities and other partners.

Your job

Your main task will be to develop a multi-agent logical/computational framework for reasoning about accountability and responsibility, that takes into account epistemics, abilities and norms of agents.

As a PhD candidate, your primary focus will be to conduct research aligned with this objective, leading to a successful dissertation. You will also contribute to the academic community by publishing peer-reviewed articles and presenting your work at international AI conferences.

This position offers excellent opportunities for professional growth. You will take part in the activities of the ELSA lab, as well as attend international summer schools and workshops to strengthen your research expertise and expand your network. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to contribute to teaching and supervise AI-related thesis projects at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels (approximately 10-15% of your time). You will be part of the Intelligent Systems group, led by Professor Mehdi Dastani, who will also be your supervisor together with Dr. Dragan Doder.

Your qualities

We are looking for a candidate with perseverance and a committed spirit. You also have:

• a Master’s degree in Logic, Computer Science, Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field;
• a solid background in logic (expertise in modal logic is considered a plus);
• a basic understanding of AI concepts and techniques;
• a strong interest in the research topic of this position and a collaborative mindset;
• strong communication skills in English, both spoken and written.

Our offer

• A position for 18 months, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment in the first 18 months;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,901 and €3,707 (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)); 
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus; 
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU. 

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Working at the Faculty of Science means bringing together inspiring people across disciplines and with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. The Faculty has six departments: Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Information & Computing Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together, we work on excellent research and inspiring education. We do so, driven by curiosity and supported by outstanding infrastructure. Visit us on LinkedIn and discover how you can become part of our community.

The Department of Information and Computing Sciences is nationally and internationally known for its research in computer science and information science. The department provides and contributes to a number of Bachelor's and (Research) Master's programmes in the fields of Computer Science, Information Science, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. We employ over 200 people in four divisions: Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, Algorithms, Interaction, and Software. The atmosphere is collegial and informal.

As a PhD candidate, you will be based within the Intelligent Systems group at Utrecht University. Your supervision team will include Prof. Mehdi Dastani (promotor) and Dr. Dragan Doder (co-promotor). The Intelligent Systems research group focuses on both fundamental and applied research in Artificial Intelligence, particularly in intelligent agents and multi-agent systems.

More information

For more information, please contact Dragan Doder at d.doder@uu.nl.

Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to science.recruitment@uu.nl.

Apply now

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send the following documents via the ‘apply now’ button:

• your motivation letter;
• your curriculum vitae;
• the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least two referees.

If this specific opportunity isn’t for you, but you know someone else who may be interested, please forward this vacancy to them.

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The application deadline is 6 July 2025.