PhD position in Human-AI Interaction and Failure Recovery at IT University of Copenhagen

The IT University of Copenhagen invites highly motivated individuals to apply for a PhD position starting in October 2026 or soon thereafter.

Applicants are invited to join us in supporting the IT University’s goal of developing and disseminating meaningful knowledge that inspires new information technology and services for the good of society.

Job description
The position is funded by the project Human-AI Failure Recovery and Operator Decision-Making in Maritime Autonomous Systems, which is supported by the Danish Maritime Foundation and Orient's Fond.

The candidate who is selected will lead a series of quantitative experimental studies conducted in the ITU BRAIN Lab, where they will design and execute controlled laboratory investigations into how human operators cognitively and physiologically respond to artificial intelligence failures in maritime environments.

Central to this work is the synchronised acquisition and analysis of multimodal psychophysiological data, such as high-density EEG, electrodermal activity (EDA), high-resolution eye tracking. The candidate will develop rigorous experimental protocols that represent realistic potential maritime failure scenarios including sensor miscalibration, model drift, and cascading alarm floods, into high-fidelity simulation environments and serious games.

Following data collection, the researcher will preprocess continuous psychophysiological time-series to extract robust, interpretable biomarkers, subsequently applying advanced statistical and machine-learning techniques to establish predictive links between physiological states and behavioural outcomes like decision latency, trust calibration, situational awareness, and recovery success.

Applicants need to be motivated for doctoral studies; should possess the ability to self-organize tasks and perform critical analysis; and also have good levels of communicative abilities and English language skills. The working language of the group is English, and knowledge of English is also fully sufficient to navigate every-day life in Scandinavia in general.

The position is available for period of 3 years. The starting date is negotiable, but the default would be in October 2026. All PhD positions in the research group are fully funded, employed positions (including travel money) that come with an internationally competitive salary.

The Scientific Environment
The ITU brAIn Lab provides a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary environment specifically tailored to the project’s quantitative psychophysiological research. Equipped with state-of-the-art recording systems, it enables precise multimodal data acquisition and rigorous biomarker extraction under tightly controlled conditions.

Guided by methodological transparency and open science practices, the lab supports advanced modelling of neural and psychophysiological metrics against behavioural decision-making outcomes. The brAIn Lab offers an ideal ecosystem for translating complex psychophysiological signals into evidence-based design principles for resilient AI interaction.

General information
The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based university specialising in information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The IT University has more than 160 full-time Faculty members. Research and teaching in information technology span all academic activities which involve computers including computer science, information and media sciences, humanities and social sciences, business impact and the commercialisation of IT.

Research at the IT University of Copenhagen
Our research is organised through dynamic research groups, centres, hubs, and labs that promote collaboration across disciplines. These units explore complex challenges at the intersection of people, technology, and society, contributing both to fundamental insights and practical solutions. At ITU, we see research as a shared endeavor – open, critically engaged, and rooted in dialogue with academic communities, industry, and the public sector. We actively pursue international partnerships and networks, and our interdisciplinary approach ensures that our research not only advances knowledge but also generates impact beyond academia.

Teaching at the IT University of Copenhagen
ITU currently offers four BSc degrees, six MSc degrees and one professional master’s degree, spanning across these disciplines. ITU's educations are extremely sought after and produces qualified graduates who are in high demand from the job market.

Working at the IT University
Located in modern architecture, a 6-minute metro ride from the center of Copenhagen, the IT University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, innovative, skilled, and diverse international faculty, with PhD degrees from more than 20 different countries. The IT University is an equal opportunity employer and prides itself in actively pursuing an improved gender balance among students and among faculty.

Working in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a solid educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and well-functioning infrastructure. Copenhagen is consistently ranked among the world’s most livable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Living and working in Copenhagen will typically be a great experience for you and your family.

Salary and terms of employment
Appointment and salary will be in accordance with the Ministry of Taxation’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and job structure for academic staff at universities.

Qualification Requirements
The following qualifications are required:

• 3-year programme: candidates should have an MSc (or equivalent)
• 4-year programme: candidates should have a BSc and one year of university studies on Master level

The applicants will be employed and enrolled at the ITU University for a period of 3 or 4 years depending on the university degree level of the applicant.

Application
The application and all other documents ought to be in English and must include:

• A motivated application (cover letter), including a detailed description of your qualifications
• A full CV, including name, address, phone number, e-mail, previous and present employment and academic background
• Documentation of academic degrees (copy of degree certificates etc.)
• A statement of purpose, which provides evidence of independent thinking, novelty and originality, of the targeted research field matching the project description
• Documentation of English proficiency (see link below to the PhD Admission Requirements)
• Relevant scientific publications or/and master thesis written by the applicant ( Not required but optional )

Applications without the above-mentioned required documents will not be assessed.

Please read the guidelines for applicants carefully before filling in the application form. You can see the guidelines through this link .

The applicant will be accessed according to the Appointment Order from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of 13 March 2012.

The IT University may use shortlisting in connection to the recruitment process. In case of shortlisting, the Chair of the hiring committee selects applicants for assessment in consultation with the hiring committee after the application deadline. All applicants are notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The shortlisting of candidates for assessment is based on the criteria in the job posting.

Further information
Questions about the positions can be directed to Associate Professor, Paolo Burelli, IT University of Copenhagen, e-mail Se e-mailadresse på studerendeonline.dk . Early contact with our faculty staff is encouraged.
Questions related to the application procedure may be directed to HR, Se e-mailadresse på studerendeonline.dk .

Application procedure
You can only apply for this position through our e-recruitment system. Apply by pressing the button "Apply for position" in the job announcement on our website .

The IT University might upon request in the interview process contact 1-2 references.

Application deadline: 12 July, at 23:59 CEST.
Applications/enclosures received at ITU after the application deadline will not be taken into consideration. If you submit an application, it is your responsibility to ensure that it arrives before the deadline so please allow sufficient time for the upload of publications and other documents.

At The IT University of Copenhagen, we have an international environment and view diversity as a valuable resource. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive working environment for all our employees and encourage all qualified applicants, regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation, or ethnic background to apply for the position.
As ITU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

Application deadline: Apply no later than 12. July 2026

Department: Rued Langgaards Vej 7 2300 København S