Postdoctoral Researcher in Mechanistic Understanding of AI Reasoning Full-time NEW

Postdoctoral Researcher Position

We are seeking to recruit a postdoctoral researcher to work on understanding the mechanisms of AI reasoning. Their core duty will be to advance our understanding of how LLMs acquire, integrate and reason over evolving, pluralistic knowledge using mechanistic interpretability methods. This can involve the development of novel conceptual frameworks, methods, or empirical studies. The postdoc's duties will also to a small degree include teaching or supervision.

The position is offered in the context of an ERC Starting Grant held by Isabelle Augenstein on 'Explainable and Robust Automatic Fact Checking (ExplainYourself)', as well the Pioneer Centre for AI.

Applicants should hold a PhD degree or equivalent in Computer Science or a related field, and have good written and oral English skills. The assessment of qualifications will also be made based on previous scientific publications and relevant work experience. The ideal candidate would have an educational background, prior research or work experience on Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and/or Explainable AI.

The successful candidate will join the CopeNLU group at the University of Copenhagen. CopeNLU is a vibrant and collaborative research group led by Isabelle Augenstein and Pepa Atanasova with a focus on fair and accountable NLP. We are interested in core methodology research on interpretability, explainability and bias detection; as well as applications to tasks such as fact checking and cross-cultural learning. With a strong focus on both foundational and applied research, we provide a platform for exploring cutting-edge topics in NLP, while also emphasising the importance of transparent and responsible AI development.

We are affiliated with the Pioneer Centre for AI at the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen, located in central Copenhagen. The Pioneer Centre focuses on fundamental AI research, and within an interdisciplinary framework, develops platforms, methods, and practices that address society's greatest challenges. It consists of seven AI research themes, with one being Speech and Language. The Natural Language Processing research environment at the University of Copenhagen is internationally leading, as e.g. evidenced by it being ranked second in Europe according to CSRankings.

The position will be offered from 1 February 2027 or as close to this date as possible, for a period of two years, with the possibility of extension contingent on funding availability.

Terms of employment

The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 39,900 DKK/approx. 5,300 EUR (August 2026-level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 18,07 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

Application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below. Applications submitted by emails cannot be considered.

Please include:

1. Cover Letter detailing your motivation and background for applying for this position;
2. Research plan – description of current and future research plans;
3. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position;
4. Diplomas (Master's and PhD degree or equivalent);
5. Complete publication list;
6. Separate reprints of 3 particularly relevant papers;
7. Names and contact details of three references.

Application deadline The deadline for applications is 30 September 2026, 23:59 CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee. You will be notified about whether your application will be selected for assessment.

The assessors will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above-mentioned research area, skills and other requirements. The assessors will conclude whether each applicant is qualified. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessments. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in Week 43 (19-23 October 2026).

Inquiries about the position can be made to Isabelle Augenstein augenstein@di.ku.dk.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.