The IT University of Copenhagen invites highly motivated individuals to apply for a 3-year PhD or 2-year Postdoc position starting in October 2026 or soon thereafter. We invite applicants who want to contribute to the IT University's vision of creating and sharing knowledge that is profound and leads to ground-breaking information technology and services for the benefit of humanity.
About the job Join us at the Human-AI Interaction Lab at the IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark for one funded PhD or postdoc position, starting 1 October 2026 or soon thereafter. You will be supervised by Jichen Zhu and Stella Grasshof in an interdisciplinary research project to reduce over-reliance on AI and foster self-reflection in the context of emotion recognition/tracking for mental well-being.
The work is animated by a few guiding questions: How can we reduce users’ over-reliance on AI in the subjective domains, such as emotion tracking, where humans and AI are deeply entangled? How can we design human-centered AI explanations to foster users’ self-reflection and thus responsible use of AI? How can contemporary HCI theory of entanglement and more-than-human design inform new approaches to designing ML well-being technology?
Job description The candidate is expected to complete the following main research tasks:
- Conduct user studies to understand over-reliance and human-AI entanglement in emotion recognition/tracking
- Explore the design space of user-centered AI explanations for reducing over-reliance and supporting self-reflection
- Iteratively design, prototype, and test towards a minimal viable product
- Disseminate research output through publications in HCI and design research venues
The ideal candidate should have:
- A Master’s (for the PhD position) or PhD (for postdoc position) degree in a relevant field, such as Interaction Design, HCI, Computer Science (human-centered), Digital Health, CSCW, or related areas
- An active publication record in leading HCI or design venues and/or related journals (required for the postdoc position)
- Demonstrated qualitative and design research capability (study design, fieldwork, analysis, synthesis into system requirements)
- Demonstrated prototyping ability
- Commitment to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams
- Background in human-AI interaction, responsible AI, ML as design material, more-than-human design is an advantage
Research Environment The candidate will be part of the Human-AI Interaction Lab and the HCI & Design Section at ITU.
General information The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based university specializing 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 commercialization of IT.
Research at the IT University of Copenhagen Our research is organized through dynamic research groups, centers, 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 education is 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 for the 3-year PhD position:
- candidates should have an MSc (or equivalent)
The applicants will be employed and enrolled at the ITU University for a period of 3 years.
The following qualifications are required for the Postdoc position:
- Candidates are required to have academic qualifications at PhD level at the start of the position or shortly after
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 project proposal of up to five pages /12.000 characters, when bibliography is not included. The proposed project needs to fit within the broader project described above. The proposal should include research background, research questions, methods, ethical considerations, a timeline for completion, and the bibliography. It should provide evidence of independent thinking and originality relevant to the targeted research field.
- For candidates applying for the PhD position: relevant scientific publications or/and master thesis written by the applicant (Not required but optional)
- For candidates applying for the PhD position: documentation of English proficiency (see link below to the PhD Admission Requirements)
- For candidates applying for the Postdoc position: relevant scientific publications or/and PhD thesis written by the applicant
Applications without the above-mentioned
required documents will not be assessed.
The applicant will be assessed 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 Professor, Jichen Zhu, IT University of Copenhagen,
jicz@itu.dk.Early contact with our faculty staff is encouraged.
Questions related to the application procedure may be directed to HR, hr@itu.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.
For the PhD position, please read the guidelines for applicants carefully before filling in the application form. You can see the guidelines through this
link.
The IT University of Copenhagen might upon request in the interview process contact 1-2 references.
Application deadline:
18 May 2026, 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 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.
