Research Fellow (3 year fixed term)

Job Summary

Robert Gordon University (RGU) offers staff and students alike a distinctive, professionally-focused academic environment in which our demand-led teaching helps individuals to develop and prosper. Underpinning this are, of course, our first-class research capabilities and facilities, with internationally recognised strengths across a wide range of educational areas

We are looking for a full-time postdoctoral research fellow for 36 months. You will be working with Dr Mark Snaith on the EPSRC-funded project Dialogue-based Structured Conversational Artificial Intelligence.

Systems powered by conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) have seen a significant increase in uptake in recent years. The relatively recent widespread launch of platforms underpinned by Large Language Models (LLMS), such as ChatGPT, has piqued public interest in more advanced conversational systems that, ostensibly, exhibit understanding and can sustain longer form conversations. However, while such platforms have proven effective as a tool for seeking information and generating ideas, the conversations are open and unstructured. Without further scaffolding, this limits the usefulness of language models in domains and applications that require a rigid dialectical interaction structure. Providing this scaffolding in a way that is as accessible to developers as ChatGPT (and other LLMs) is an essential next step if the full potential of conversational AI in focused domains is to be realised.

Implemented dialogue games have been shown to support engaging and interactive conversational applications in diverse domains that require careful consideration of dialogue flow, such as health care, law, and dispute mediation. However, creating these dialogue game implementations is time-consuming and requires specific expertise both in dialogical analysis, and dialogue game implementation languages. If the use of structured models of dialogue in supporting conversational AI is to reach its full potential, a vital next step is to harness advances in deep learning, language models, and argument mining to lower these barriers to entry.

The aim of this project is to create for the first time the theories, tools and techniques that will support widespread use of structured models of dialogue in underpinning complex domain-specific conversational systems. By building on advances in argument mining, the project will facilitate automated implementation of computational dialogue games from natural language transcripts of real examples, and develop new methods for more natural user interactions.

You should have a PhD in an appropriate subject, excellent software development skills, experience in machine learning along with evidence of high quality research publications.

As per the UKVI immigration rules, this role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.  Sponsorship under this route is dependent on factors specific to the applicant and if tradeable points can be used under the rules.

Employment is conditional on candidates, if deemed necessary, passing a pre-employment medical and undertaking ongoing health surveillance throughout the course of their employment.  This is required in order to support our duty of care under health and safety statute and to ensure that the candidates are able to carry out the functions required by the role.

 

RGU's ultra-modern campus, located on the outskirts of the vibrant and prosperous city of Aberdeen, offers a superb place to live, work and develop your career. A relocation package is available to assist with your transition to RGU, where you’ll enjoy working in one of the most impressive university settings in the UK, with first-class educational infrastructure and outstanding sporting and leisure facilities, all set against a stunning rural backdrop on the banks of the river Dee. More information can be found on our relocation pages

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits. 

This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check. For more information visit: https://www.mygov.scot/basic-disclosure/

JOB DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBLE TO: Dr Mark Snaith

RESPONSIBLE FOR: No Supervisory Responsibilities

PURPOSE OF POST:

To develop the theories, tools and techniques that will support widespread use of structured models of dialogue in underpinning complex domain-specific conversational systems.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

1. Investigating and developing appropriate data annotation schemes to support automated extraction of dialogue structures.

2. Developing appropriate theories, tools and techniques in machine learning to automate the extraction of dialogue structures from natural language text.

3. Liaising with industrial and academic partners to support the deployment of practical results in usable, real-world applications.

4. Writing high quality research outputs to disseminate project results.

5. Presenting project results at conferences.

 

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Membership

PhD in appropriate subject

Knowledge

Excellent software development skills. Machine learning in the context of conversational AI systems.

Experience

Experience in machine learning.

Evidence of high-quality research publications.

 

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge

Knowledge of formal dialogue and argumentation, and in particular argument mining.

Experience

Supervision (formal or informal) of undergraduate and taught postgraduate students

 

Behaviours

Behaviour 1: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 2: Analysis and Research - Experience of developing hypotheses and concepts to explain data, events and phenomena, and reporting findings to a wider community

Behaviour 3: Pastoral Care and Welfare - Experience of calming and reassuring those with work/study related problems who may be experiencing distress and dealing with difficult welfare situations or confidential matters 

Behaviour 4: Liaison and Networking - Experience of  circulating information in an accurate and timely manner,  working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships and leading and developing internal networks to pursue a shared interest

Behaviour 5: Initiative and Problem Solving - Experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, identifying practical and suitable solutions.

Behaviour 6: Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information that will influence the decisions of others