PhD position on Depolarizing Climate Online Discourse with Argumentative Language Models (V25.0421)

We are seeking a candidate for a fully funded PhD position for the project DeCODA-LM – funded through the stimuleringsbeurs scheme of the Faculty of Arts. The project aims at developing tools using large language models (LLMs) for the correction of misinformation about climate change in social media.

The successful candidate will develop innovative tools leveraging Computational Linguistics, Argumentation Theory, and Social Network Analysis to (1) investigate how climate misinformation contributes to political polarization and (2) assess whether AI-generated, argumentative-based corrections can reduce these effects.

By integrating linguistic, argumentative, and network-based approaches, this project aims to advance current research on both misinformation detection and correction. Modeling the argumentative structure of climate-related discourse enables the development of tools that are not limited to surface features or topic-specific cues. Combining this with network analysis allows researchers to link what is said (linguistic content) with who says it and where (social position, influence, group alignment). https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Eb7uaJTE58G_zBG-PJU1vND_fSTRCj-8/edit?rtpof=true&sd=true&tab=t.0

The PhD position will be embedded in the Computational Linguistics group of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen, one of the leading research groups in the Netherlands for NLP/CL, with ties with the Media Studies group.

As part of this PhD, the candidate will:

• Conduct independent research on the themes of the project and complete the PhD project in the specified timeframe (4 years).
• Present research findings at top-tier NLP conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
• Contribute to the teaching activities.
• Actively engage with the research environment at CLCG and Research Centre for Media and Journalism Studies.

Organization
Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high-quality teaching and research. Its 34,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study- and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international centre of knowledge: It belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide.

The Faculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts is a large, dynamic faculty in the heart of the city of Groningen. It has more than 5000 students and 700 staff members, who are working at the frontiers of knowledge every day. The Faculty offers a wide range of degree programmes: 15 Bachelor's programmes and over 35 Master's specialisations. Our research, which is internationally widely acclaimed, covers Archaeology, Cultural Studies, History, International Relations, Language and Literary Studies, Linguistics and Media and Journalism Studies.

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following criteria:

• Holds a Research Master’s or Master’s degree in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Linguistics, Computer Science.
• Has excellent academic writing and oral skills in English.
• Has experience with large language models (LLMs) and state of the art methods in NLP.
• Has a demonstrable interest in misinformation countering or climate communication.
• Is willing to acquire knowledge of Social Network Analysis methods and techniques.
• Has knowledge/experience in Argument Mining.
• Is willing to work independently in a results-oriented manner.
• Is willing to collaborate with the interdisciplinary team of the project.
• Is familiar with Python, PyTorch, Hugging face Transformers library and works efficiently with them.

We offer in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement for Dutch universities:

• A temporary 1.0 FTE appointment for a specified period of four years. The candidate will first be appointed for twelve months. After 11 months, an assessment will take place of the candidate’s results and the progress of the PhD project, in order to decide whether employment will be continued.
• A salary, depending on qualifications and work experience, with a minimum of € 3,059 to a maximum of € 3,881 (salary scale P) gross per month for a full-time position.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• Participation in a pension scheme for employees.
• Favourable tax agreements for non-Dutch applicants may be applicable.
• The PhD candidate is expected to conduct 0.4 FTE teaching spread over the second, third and fourth year of their appointment.
• Willingness to move and reside in the Netherlands.

Do you want to become a member of our team? Please send your application to us, by submitting the following documents in English

• Letter of motivation (max 2 pages).
• Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications (if available).
• Copies of (Re)Master diploma and list of grades. If candidates are still studying for their (Re)Master diploma, a written statement from the supervisor is required commenting on performance and expected date of completion.
• Copy of (Re)Master thesis.

You may apply for this position until 1 September 11:59pm / before 2 September 2025 Dutch local time (CEST) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

Please send in your application as two PDF files (one for the (Re)Master thesis, and one for all other documents). Please submit the merged application under the ‘Letter of motivation’ and the thesis under ‘Extra attachment’.

The selection interviews will take place in the last week of month/year. The selected candidate is expected to start in month/year. We allow 3 months from selection in case of VISA applications.

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/policy-and-strategy/diversity-and-inclusion/

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP): https://www.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/nl/sollicitatiecode and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/charter/code

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