Junior Researcher AI for Youth Interventions Research

University of Amsterdam; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 39,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

232 vacation hours

Holiday allowance 8%

Year-end bonus 8.3%

ABP pension

Job summary

University of Amsterdam is seeking a Junior Researcher to test GenAI-assisted data extraction from scientific publications in pediatric SCED studies. The role focuses on building a GenAI-powered pipeline, prompting strategies, and benchmarking outputs against reference data, with integration into a Shiny app for validation.

You will collaborate with clinicians and information scientists, present findings at conferences, and contribute to an open-access paper.

Qualifications

• Master-level degree is required.
• Affinity with data science, research methodology, clinical psychology, or related field.
• Experience coordinating research projects and collaborating in a team; eagerness to develop this skill.
• Ability to translate a complex technical plan into actionable steps.
• Experience with R or Python and comfort with large language models (LLMs).
• Ability to ask critical questions about AI output rather than taking results at face value.
• Clear written and spoken communication for a scientific audience.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a GenAI-assisted pipeline to extract study and case characteristics from published articles.
• Develop prompting strategies to reconstruct symptom trajectories from graphs in publications.
• Benchmark GenAI outputs against a high-quality manually coded reference dataset.
• Build an interactive Shiny application for researchers to inspect and validate extracted data.
• Present findings at a conference and contribute to an open-access paper.

Skills

Critical thinking

Team collaboration

Clear communication

Translate plan into steps

Question AI outputs

Education

Master's degree

Tools

R

Python

LLMs

Job description

Can AI free up clinical researchers by assisting them with tedious information extraction? For a period of ten months, we are looking for a Junior Researcher to test whether GenAI can reliably extract individual youth treatment data from scientific publications - accelerating evidence synthesis that helps professionals decide what works for which child. Join this one-year project at the cutting edge of AI and clinical research methodology.

Working at the UvA

Building a methodologically sound pipeline from raw data to treatment policy

You will coordinate and (co-)develop the design, implementation, and execution of the GenAI-assisted data extraction pipeline, including coding structure, benchmarking GenAI outputs against the reference data set, and integration into a Shiny app. This pipeline uses large language models to automatically extract case characteristics and information on symptom changes from single-case experimental design (SCED) studies. In SCEDs, treatment effectiveness is studied on a level of a single client using repeated observations of symptom change.

You will work closely with several investigators (clinical researcher, information scientist), a software engineer and a student assistant. Next to building a pipeline, you will share your findings with the research community through open-access code, a Shiny web application, a scientific article and a conference presentation.

• A good salary Your salary will be determined on the basis of your experience and seniority, in accordance with the Labour agreement. Your grading and therefore the amounts mentioned are based on full employment of 38 hours per week.
• 232 vacation hours We also offer parental leave, partner leave and social engagement leave. Through the Employment Conditions Menu Card, there are opportunities for even more vacation hours.
• Financial arrangements On top of your salary, you receive holiday allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8.3%). You build up a good pension with ABP. And in addition, we offer many other allowances and schemes.
• Career development and room for growth The UvA encourages you to continue to professionalise through training courses and open UvA lectures.
• Family matters Relocating to the Netherlands with your family? Find out about daycare, schooling, health insurance or employment options and support for your partner or spouse. Including the IDCN-network which provides support for your spouse through various training sessions, social activities, and networking events.

What are you going to do

• Design and implement a GenAI-assisted pipeline to extract study and case characteristics from published PDF articles using large language models.
• Develop and refine prompting strategies to reconstruct symptom trajectories from graphs embedded in scientific publications.
• Benchmark automated GenAI outputs against a high-quality manually coded reference dataset to assess accuracy and identify error patterns.
• Build an interactive Shiny application that allows researchers to inspect and validate extracted data alongside original figures.
• Present findings at a conference and contribute to an open-access paper.

What Do You Have To Offer

• You have a master-level degree.
• You have a critical thinking level, preferably with affinity for data science, research methodology, clinical psychology, or a related field.
• You have affinity with coordinating research projects and collaborating in a team or you would like to further develop your skills in these areas.
• You can translate, under supervision and in team collaboration, a complex technical plan into concrete steps.
• You have experience with R or Python and feel comfortable working with large language models or you would like to develop your skills further in these areas.
• You ask critical questions about AI output rather than taking results at face value.
• You communicate clearly - with your colleagues, the student assistant, and in writing for a scientific audience.

What Else Do We Offer You

We offer a stimulating and interdisciplinary working environment, with a diverse range of tasks within an inspiring organization. Working at the University of Amsterdam means working in a dynamic, independent, creative, innovative, and international environment, characterized by an open atmosphere.

Your place at the UvA

In this department, you will work

The Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE) is part of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. Dedicated to advancing knowledge on the development, learning, and well-being of children, the institute integrates cutting-edge research with real-world applications to impact education and care. We offer a dynamic environment paired with an informal and supportive atmosphere. You will work in an enthusiastic and warm team where initiative and input are highly valued.

The junior researcher will become part of MetaSCED lab. The lab is embeded in the Clinical Child and Family Studies group at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE). Check out the program group via https://cde.uva.nl/research/child-development/clinical-child-and-family-studies/clinical-child-and-family-studies.html

About The Faculty Of Social And Behavioural Sciences

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is the largest educational and research institution in the field of social and behavioural sciences in Europe. Here, we explore societal and human-centered issues, driven by scientific curiosity but also with an eye for current themes. For example, the impact of media and communication on individuals and society, healthcare challenges, global urbanization, human development, the role of political institutions, understanding the human mind, growing inequality, diversity issues, and changing social relationships.

In Europe and beyond, the FMG holds a leading position, thanks in part to its more than 1,300 staff members who contribute to education and research. Will you be one of them?

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.

Studies show that women and members of underrepresented groups only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Do you meet the educational requirements but not yet all of the requested experience? The UvA encourages you to apply anyway.

Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.