Join our division and AI Engineering Lab to be at the forefront of research in agentic AI software systems. This PhD project aims to observe and monitor agentic AI systems using intentional visual models – models where intentions or goals are explicit and evaluated during system operations. The PhD student will be supervised by Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Horkoff and will be part of the Interaction Design and Software Engineering Division of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering, a joint department of Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg, spans the breadth of computing disciplines. Our internationally visible research, strong industry links and diverse environment create a collaborative setting where ideas grow into real impact.
At the division of Interaction Design and Software Engineering, we design smarter ways to engineer better software, and explore how people engage with digital systems, combining global research perspectives with strong collaboration with industry.
The PhD position will be part of the Chalmers and University of Gothenburg’s AI Engineering Lab, focusing on practices, knowledge, and experience making AI advancements work in real and complex software systems. The PhD student will part of the WASP graduate school.
Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) is Sweden’s largest individual research program ever, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education and faculty recruitment. The program addresses research on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems-of-systems.
The vision of WASP is excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software for the benefit of Swedish society and industry.
Read more: https://wasp-sweden.org/
The graduate school within WASP is dedicated to provide the skills needed to analyze, develop, and contribute to the interdisciplinary area of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software. Through an ambitious program with research visits, partner universities, and visiting lecturers, the graduate school actively supports forming a strong multi-disciplinary and international professional network between PhD-students, researchers and industry.
Read more: https://wasp-sweden.org/graduate-school/
Agentic AI systems allow multiple foundation-model powered agents to work together, often using external tools, to accomplish system objectives. AI agent configurations can be complicated and dynamic, with many possible configurations of agents, agent types, tasks, inputs and outputs, including human oversight, memory, and mechanisms for reflection and improvement. Thus, there is a need to observe the status of the system in terms of current agent roles and tasks, goals (intentions), inputs and outputs, in order to evaluate whether the goals of individual agents and the overall agentic system are satisfied, including whether improvement mechanisms are effective. The overall objective of this PhD proposal is to support automated and intentional visualization, observability, and monitoring of agentic AI systems. We propose to use and adapt existing and well-established work in agent- and goal-oriented modeling frameworks for this purpose.
- To qualify as a Doctoral student, you must have a Master's degree (masterexamen) of 120 credits or a Master’s degree (magisterexamen) of 60 credits* in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or AI Engineering.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Experience in software engineering, applied AI, and conceptual modeling.
- The ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a research group.
- for students with an education earned outside of Sweden, a 4-year Bachelor’s degree is accepted.
- A strong background in software engineering, including requirements, architecture, design, coding, verification and validation.
- A strong background in applied AI or AI Engineering, including making large and small AI models work for practical problems.
- Experience in agentic AI, with multiple AI models working in coordination towards a common problem, often involving legacy tools and systems.
- A good background in conceptual modeling, including, for example, UML, goal models, or architectural models.
- Demonstrated skills in technical writing and programming.
- Take courses at an advanced level within the Graduate school of Computer Science and Engineering
- Develop your own scientific concepts and communicate the results of your research verbally and in writing.
- The position generally also includes teaching on Chalmers' undergraduate level or performing other duties corresponding to 20 percent of working hours.
- Research and develop theoretical foundations, new methods, models, and tools to observe and monitor modern and complex agentic AI software systems.
- Evaluate theories, methods, models and solutions using rigorous empirical methods, both in the lab and potentially in industrial contexts.
- The Doctoral student positions are fully funded from start.
- The position is a fixed-term appointment of four years, with the possibility to teach up to 20%, which extends the position up to five years.
- A starting salary of 34,550 SEK per month (valid from May 25, 2025).
- Doctoral studies require physical presence throughout the entire study period. A valid residence permit must be presented by the study start date; otherwise the admission may be withdrawn.
- As a Doctoral student at Chalmers, you are an employee and enjoy all employee benefits. Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.
- A dynamic and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg.
- Read more about Sweden’s generous parental leave, subsidized day care, free schools, healthcare etc at Move To Gothenburg.
Chalmers is dedicated to improving gender balance and actively works with equality projects, such as the GENIE Initiative for gender equality and excellence. We celebrate diversity and consider equality and inclusion as fundamental aspects of all our activities.
If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses to help you settle in.
Find more general information about doctoral studies at Chalmers here.
The application should be written in English and attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.
CV
Personal letter
- A brief introduction about yourself.
- A brief motivation as to why you are interested in this position.
Bachelor’s and, if available, master’s thesis together with the transcripts.
(Optional) Any Peer-reviewed published research paper
Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form.
A background check may be conducted as part of the application process.
Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered. Contact details to references will be requested after the interview.
We welcome your application no later than June 12th.
Jennifer Horkoff
Associate Professor/Universitetslektor (Docent)
[email protected]/[email protected]
Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position.
Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg conducts research and education in technology and natural sciences at a high international level. The university has 3100 employees and 10,000 students, and offers education in engineering, science, shipping and architecture. With scientific excellence as a basis, Chalmers promotes knowledge and technical solutions for a sustainable world. Through global commitment and entrepreneurship, we foster an innovative spirit, in close collaboration with wider society.
Chalmers was founded in 1829 and has the same motto today as it did then: Avancez – forward.
