Summary
Noldus Information Technology B.V., in collaboration with Utrecht University, is offering a fully funded four-year industrial PhD candidate position under the COHABIT project (funded by the TKI Top Sector program “Life Sciences & Health”). This research role focuses on leveraging Active Learning and Large Language & Vision Models (LLMs/VLMs) to create state-of-the-art automated human behavior annotation technologies for scientific and clinical applications.
PhD Position: AI for Automated Human Behavior Annotation at Noldus & Utrecht University, Netherlands
Designation
PhD Candidate (Industrial PhD / R&D Researcher)
Key Overview
| Feature | Details |
| Position Title | PhD Candidate – AI for Automated Human Behavior Annotation |
| Employing Organization | Noldus Information Technology B.V. |
| Academic Partner | Utrecht University (Social and Affective Computing group) |
| Location | Wageningen & Utrecht, Netherlands (Hybrid) |
| Contract Duration | 4 Years (1-year initial contract with extension based on evaluation) |
| Working Hours | 32 – 40 hours per week |
| Salary | €3,204 – €4,051 gross per month (Scale P of CAO NU) |
| Benefits | 8% Holiday Allowance, 8.33% Year-end Bonus, Pension Scheme |
| Academic Supervisor | Prof. Dr. Salah (Utrecht University) |
| Hiring Manager | Harold Bult (harold.bult@noldus.com) |
| Application Deadline | September 1, 2026 |
Research Area
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- Active Learning & Large Vision/Language Models (LLMs/VLMs)
- Affective Computing & Social Interaction Analysis
- Automated Human Behavior Annotation & Classification
- Healthcare & Clinical Diagnostics AI Applications
Location
Wageningen & Utrecht, Netherlands (Hybrid position with split time between Noldus IT in Wageningen and Utrecht University).
Eligibility / Qualification
- Education: Master’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related quantitative field.
- Technical Background: Demonstrable experience with machine learning methods and modern AI techniques.
- Research Interest: Strong motivation for multidisciplinary research, societal challenges, and the responsible application of AI for healthcare and the public good.
- Skills: Excellent collaboration skills, ability to work in an industry-academic team, and strong written/verbal communication skills in English.
- Language Note: Dutch proficiency is considered an advantage (as part of the AI training material is available in Dutch), but is not mandatory.
Job Description
As a PhD candidate in the COHABIT project, you will split your time between Noldus IT and Utrecht University to address current limitations in reliable and scalable automated behavior recognition.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop cutting-edge annotation technologies that integrate active learning with vision and language foundation models (LLMs/VLMs).
- Validate developed AI methodologies through clinical studies focused on human social interaction and emotional expression classification.
- Collaborate with computer scientists, healthcare professionals, and industry engineers to advance automated behavior analysis software.
- Participate in PhD training courses provided by the Utrecht University Graduate School to support academic and professional growth.
How to Apply
- Visit the official job portal at Noldus PhD Candidate Vacancy.
- Click on the Apply button to submit your application documents.
- For specific inquiries regarding the position or research scope, contact Hiring Manager Harold Bult via email at
harold.bult@noldus.com.
Last Date to Apply
September 1, 2026
