Energy Transition: ABM & LLM Agent Dynamics (Postdoc)

University of Groningen via AcademicTransfer; Nederland; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Groningen invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher in sociology to study social aspects of the energy transition using agent-based modelling and LLM-based agents.

The project ECHO brings together teams in Groningen and Oldenburg; you will develop ABM, connect models to empirical social network data, and compare approaches with the German partner, contributing to interdisciplinary research and international collaboration.

Qualifications

• PhD in sociology (or related field) with a computational or data-driven focus.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Demonstrable skills in computational sociology, especially agent-based modelling.
• Interest in social aspects of energy transition and social influence processes.
• Experience with social network research and/or behavioral experiments or digital trace data.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative setting.
• Excellent English; German and Dutch skills desirable.
• Ability to work independently and manage joint research activities; strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop ABM to empirical settings and link models to data coming from social networks.
• Compare ABM with LLM-based agent models and align with the German partner.
• Conduct empirical testing using social network data or experiments or online data as available.
• Collaborate closely with project team in Groningen and the Institute of Energy Informatics in Oldenburg.

Skills

Agent-based modelling

Computational sociology

Social influence processes

Social network research

Empirical research methods

Team collaboration

Communication skills

English proficiency

Education

PhD in sociology

Tools

NetLogo

Python

Job description

University of Groningen invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher in sociology to study social aspects of the energy transition using agent-based modelling and LLM-based agents.

The project ECHO brings together teams in Groningen and Oldenburg; you will develop ABM, connect models to empirical social network data, and compare approaches with the German partner, contributing to interdisciplinary research and international collaboration.