PhD scholarships in Network Science, AI, and Science of Science – at the Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science (SODAS), University of Copenhagen

The research group led by Professor Roberta Sinatra at the Center for Social Data Science at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) is seeking highly motivated individuals for PhD positions (100%, 36 months) starting in June 2025. An earlier or later start date may be accommodated. Enrolment will be at the Faculty of Social Sciences under Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences.

Who are we looking for?

The PhD students will explore topics at the intersection of Science of Science, AI, fairness, computational social science, and network science. These positions are part of an European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator project, aimed at quantify whether, how, and with what effects generative AI is changing how researchers write, communicate, perceive, and disseminate science. We prioritize technically proficient students eager to pursue new, bold questions with data.

Details on the currently funded ERC project is available here.

Candidates must have a M.Sc. degree or equivalent.

• You must have a background within Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Social Data Science, or related fields.

We are particularly interested in applicants that have experience in one or more of the following research areas:

• Science of Science
• Applied NLP
• Network Science
• Applied machine learning
• Algorithmic bias and fairness
• Modelling of dynamical systems

Further:

• Experience with studying inequalities is an advantage.
• Experience in time-series analysis is an advantage. 
• Experience with data visualization is an advantage.
• An active interest in strong collaborations and interdisciplinary work is a plus.
• An active interest in communicating science is a plus.

Responsibilities and opportunities

The successful applicants will:

• Contribute to potentially ground-breaking research with important ethical and societal implications in a truly interdisciplinary environment, funded by the European Research Council,
• Co-author scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals, participate in international conferences, and collaborate with international teams,
• Contribute to teaching and supervising within the Master’s in Social Data Science program at UCPH,
• Contribute to SODAS activities and events

What do we offer? 

The chosen candidate will become part of the SODAS research environment and active doctoral program with about 20 PhD students. SODAS is an interdisciplinary research, teaching, and impact center, combining traditional social science theories and methods with novel data science methods and paradigms. In collaboration with partners in Denmark and abroad, SODAS is home to research projects funded by, among others, the European Research Council (ERC) as well as both independent and private Danish research foundations. SODAS hosts the English-language Social Data Science (SDS), Master degree program at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The PhD students are also offered the opportunity to have visiting affiliations at the Pioneer center for AI and at the NERDS group, ITU. The group is a down-to-earth and fun place to be. The NERDS group, where Roberta Sinatra’s group was based until 2022, has won a prize for the best research environment in Denmark in 2022. Most group members live in Copenhagen which is often named as the best city in the world to live in, and for good reasons. It's world-renowned for food, beer, art, music, architecture, the Scandinavian “hygge”, and much more. In Denmark, parental leave is generous, and child-care is excellent and cheap.

How to apply
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word.

• Cover/motivation letter (max. 3 pages)
• Curriculum vitae (including publications and conference presentations, if applicable)
• Diplomas and transcript of grades (bachelor and master, if applicable)
• An abstract of the master thesis written in English (1 page)
• Master thesis (if applicable)
• Up to 3 research articles and/or working papers (if applicable)

Terms of Employment

• In order to be awarded a PhD scholarship the chosen candidates have to enroll as PhD students at the Faculty of Social Sciences, cf. the rules of the Danish Ministerial order No 1039 of 27 August 2013. Most likely, the applicants will be enrolled in the PhD program at Center for Social Data Science, University of Copenhagen. 

• Further information about the PhD study programme is available on the website of Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences:  
  https://samf.ku.dk/phd-skolen/english/ 
• Under "Legal basis" on the website you will find information about the rules and guidelines for the PhD programme, and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities.    
• The salary range starts at approximately DKK 30,800 per month + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The Recruitment Process
Shortlisted applicants are notified of the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant themselves. Further information on these recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here:  https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

International Applicants
The University of Copenhagen offers information and services for international researchers. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: https://ism.ku.dk/

Further Information

Further information can be obtained by writing to [email protected] Please use subject line: Information on PhD call 2025.

For information about the recruitment process please contact HR South, e-mail: [email protected], please refer to ID number: 211-2109/25-2H #2.

SODAS website: https://sodas.ku.dk/

NERDS website: https://nerds.itu.dk/

Head of the group website: https://www.robertasinatra.com/

The closing date for applications is 23:59 CEST 21 April 2025.

Applications received after the deadline will not be taken into account.