PhD Stipend in Human Centered AI and Educational Technology

We are searching for a highly motivated PhD candidate to conduct research on the design, development, integration, and evaluation of a multimodal, Socratic AI tutor for novice programmers within Aalborg University’s problem-based learning (PBL) model.

The position is anchored in the HumanMachineInteraction research environment at Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology at Aalborg University (Aalborg CREATE city campus) on the PhD <!--StartFragment -->program Media, Architecture & Design<!--EndFragment -->, and forms a central part of the externally funded BuddhAi project, which is an interdisciplinary AAU initiative that aims to redesign how students learn programming through AI-driven, dialogue based, and pedagogically grounded tools.

The PhD candidate will contribute to a cross-faculty collaboration spanning the TECH and SUND faculties, working closely with course teams from Medialogy and Clinical Science & Technology, as well as a dedicated pedagogical postdoc.

The stipend is open for appointment from 1 August 2026 or soon hereafter. The duration of the position is three years.

Your work tasksThe overarching aim of the project is to co-design, deploy, and iteratively refine a fully AAU-sovereign AI tutoring system that supports student agency, fosters critical engagement, and enhances conceptual understanding among first-year programming students. The work will require close work with teachers and students from both faculties.

The candidate will help integrate BuddhAi into real teaching contexts involving students across several cohorts. This includes conducting empirical studies on student–AI interaction, shaping multimodal learning scenarios (text, speech, code), contributing to adaptive dialogue design, and examining how novice programmers develop reasoning, reflection, and metacognitive strategies when engaging with an AI tutor. The candidate will also help develop the proposed system and have a strong say on shaping the front and backend of the AI tutor.

The position offers a unique opportunity to directly impact the future of programming education at AAU. By working within live teaching environments, the candidate will gain firsthand experience with pedagogically driven AI innovation, local LLM infrastructure, and interdisciplinary collaboration thereby positioning them strongly at the forefront of human-centered AI research, educational technology, and principles of digital sovereignty. The position will provide the possibility for the student to work with LLMs and machine learning.

Your competencies

• Interest in learner centered technology design, in particular how AI systems can scaffold reflection, agency, and deeper learning processes.
• Experience with (or interest in) collaborative design environments, the unique composition of the AAU PBL learning philosophy requires sensitivity to use-contexts and cohort preferences, therefore experience with inclusive methodologies such as co-design and stakeholder management is preferred.
• Experience working with AI, programming education, or marginalized learning contexts, or a strong motivation to explore how different groups of learners appropriate AI-based tools.
• A strong technical background, ideally in computer science, software engineering, human-computer interaction, AI, machine learning, or a related field. The position will require the candidate to work both on the front and back-end of the system utilizing full technological stacks.
• An independent, self-driven profile, comfortably navigating the intersection of technical development, pedagogy, design and empirical research.
• Danish language proficiency is required, as interventions are in Danish speaking programs.

Qualification requirementsPhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

Who we are
The Department of Architecture, Design, and Media Technology has as its goal the development of an innovative cluster of engineering-based environments for education and research which integrate creativity, engineering and technology within the disciplines of architecture, urban design, industrial design, digital design and interactive media. The department is a leading research and educational environment in Denmark that addresses the challenge of the interplay between creativity and technology, and develops new areas in research and education directed towards the end-user.

You can read more about the department here: https://www.en.create.aau.dk/about-create.

How to applyYour application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor's and master's degree diploma, including grades). Should the applicant not have a completed master’s education in time for the application deadline, then a written statement from the thesis supervisor, official program or semester coordinator stating the expected completion is needed. The diploma must be awarded prior to the appointment.
• Project description containing the research project title, an outline of a research plan and directions and a description of the problem areas (maximum one page).
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Interviews are held from 22 May to 18 June.

Further informationRead more about our recruitment process here.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design

Salary and terms of employmentThe employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish)

There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.