RTG Coordinator

Start date: 01 October 2024
Advertised on: 26 July 2024 / Application deadline: 31 August 2024

The Research Training Group 2853 “Neuroexplicit Models of Language, Vision, and Action” is looking for an

RTG Coordinator (E13 50%)

In the RTG 2853, up to 24 PhD students will develop new methods in artificial intelligence for processing natural language, images, and videos and for action planning (e.g. self-driving cars). Unlike purely neural methods such as ChatGPT, the models we develop will combine neural and human-interpretable methods and thus make artificial intelligence more reliable, efficient, and trustworthy.

The RTG is run jointly by Saarland University and four world-class research institutes on campus: the Max Planck Institutes for Informatics and for Software Systems, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. We expect to hire a very international group of excellent PhD students who will grow into a tight-knit community through an intensive qualification program.

The coordinator will be a central hub of all activities in the RTG. They will be responsible for all operational aspects of the RTG and its strategic development, in order to ensure that the PhD students will have the best possible conditions for their research and their personal development. The coordinator will report to the RTG speaker (Prof. Dr. Alexander Koller) and be supported by the RTG secretary and student assistants.

The coordinator position is for four years, with the possibility of being extended to eight years if the RTG is funded for a second phase after 2028. It is paid at the TV-L E13 50% pay scale.

The coordinator’s responsibilities include:

• Managing the RTG’s budget, together with the university, the participating institutes, and the German Research Foundation (DFG).
• Organizing the selection procedure for PhD students.
• Organizing and developing the qualification program for the PhD students (people-skills courses, etc.).
• Organizing and developing joint events, e.g. our annual retreats and the International Summer School in 2026.
• Coordinating the RTG’s activities regarding diversity, data privacy, and research data management.
• Coordinating the RTG’s public relations activities (e.g. organizing public events, working with the media, maintaining the website).

Here’s what we expect from you:

• Completed Master’s degree, ideally in a technical field; a PhD is desirable.
• Excellent language skills in German and English. (The working language of the RTG is English.)
• Experience in project management and the procedures of university administration.
• Goal-oriented and strategic thinking.
• Organization and negotiation skills and the ability to convince others of your ideas.
• Ability to work both by yourself and in a team.

Please send your application by 31 August 2024 to apply@neuroexplicit.org. Include the reference number (TBD). We aim to conduct job interviews in August and September and fill the position as quickly as possible.