Postdocs on diversity and inclusion in machine learning competitions

The PURRlab (Pattern Recognition Revisited lab) at the IT University of Copenhagen invites motivated individuals to apply for postdoctoral positions starting in June 2026 or soon thereafter.

The project is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation Data Science Ascending Investigator grant titled "CHEETAH: CHallenges of Evaluating Teams and Algorithms" and is led by Full Professor Veronika Cheplygina.

Project description
Machine learning (ML) competitions are often touted as drivers of algorithm development in healthcare but face limitations in real-world applications. An example competition is detecting lung cancer in chest images, where the team correctly identifying the most images with cancer wins the competition. Such competitions attract many international teams with monetary or prestigious incentives. While competitions are said to spur innovation, they often result in too similar algorithms that only excel on a specific accuracy metric, but are not robust and fail to generalize to diverse, real-world data.

I posit that a single performance metric such as accuracy is insufficient to capture algorithm robustness, for example how the algorithm performs on rare patient cases. Having a single performance metric also leads to too similar algorithms which do not bring added value despite their high training costs and carbon footprint. Furthermore, as research on women and other underrepresented groups in computer science shows, competition may deter them from entering or staying in the field.

I therefore propose to design competitions with multiple metrics, both in what the metric measures (e.g. accuracy or sensitivity) and which subgroups of patients this is measured on. We will first develop novel methods to evaluate and increase the diversity of the evaluation data (RQ1). We will then design how to evaluate similarity of algorithms, and develop methods to combine them, such that robustness can be increased without the disproportionate carbon footprint (RQ2). Finally, we will study competitions in education and at conferences, to investigate how the novel design affects underrepresented groups in data science (RQ3).

The advertised postdoc positions will be focusing on RQ3.

The candidates
The project aims to hire 2 postdocs who will both focus on RQ3, and work closely with team members already working on RQ1 and RQ2.

Ideal candidates for the positions will have:

• A finalized or close to completion PhD degree in human-computer interaction, computer science, data science, psychology, mathematics education, or another discipline which includes both quantitative and qualitative research
• Experience with mixed methods research (surveys, semi-structured interviews), evidenced by publications in recognized journals or conferences, including but not limited to CHI, FAccT, AIES, ICER, SIGCSE, CSCW, relevant conference workshops)
• Experience with data analysis in Python or R
• Experience with co-supervising students is advantageous
• Enthusiasm about interdisciplinary research in a diverse team

It is understood that even highly qualified applicants will satisfy these requirements to varying degrees, for example because of differences in countries and research fields. If you are interested in the project but are in doubt about checking these boxes, please contact Veronika Cheplygina ([email protected]) before applying.

Research environment
The successful applicant will join the PURRlab team consisting of Full Professor Veronika Cheplygina, two PhD student and a postdoc working on medical imaging and meta-research.

The project involves collaboration with the Center for Computing Education Research, and Human-Computer Interaction and Design groups at ITU. The larger project also includes collaborations with Emory University School of Medicine (US), University of Bern (CH), and offers other opportunities for collaboration and networking within and outside Denmark.

Data, Systems, and Robotics section
We are all part of the DSAR (Data, Systems, and Robotics) section at ITU. The DSAR Section at the IT University of Copenhagen conducts research in various aspects of infrastructure of data science, scalable and efficient systems supporting the data lifecycle, meta-science, artificial intelligence, robotics, and evolutionary computation, as well as a range of applications. Its faculty is responsible for many courses in the ITU BSc and MSc programs for Computer Science, Data Science and Software Design. The section currently has 12 faculty and 15 PhDs and postdocs.

General information
The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based university specializing in information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The IT University has more than 160 full-time Faculty members. Research and teaching in information technology span all academic activities which involve computers including computer science, information and media sciences, humanities and social sciences, business impact and the commercialization of IT.

Working at the IT University
Located in modern architecture, a 6-minute metro ride from the center of Copenhagen, the IT University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, innovative, skilled, and diverse international faculty, with PhD degrees from 17 different countries. The IT University is an equal opportunity employer and prides itself in actively pursuing an improved gender balance among students and among faculty.

Working in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a solid educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and well-functioning infrastructure. Copenhagen is consistently ranked among the world’s most livable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Living and working in Copenhagen will typically be a great experience for you and your family.

Salary and terms of employment
The applicant will be employed at the IT University for a period of 24 months.

Appointment and salary will be in accordance with the Ministry of Taxation’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and job structure for academic staff at universities.

Qualification Requirements
The following qualifications are required:

• Candidates are required to have academic qualifications at PhD level

Application
The application and all other documents ought to be in English and must include:

• A motivation letter (1-2 pages A4) which describes
  • suitability for the position
  • motivation to work with the project team
• A full CV, including name, address, phone number, e-mail, previous and present employment, project experience, and academic background
• A list of publications (including preprints, but not including papers in preparation), and any additional skills (for example science communication)
• A research statement (2-3 pages A4, excluding references) describing your initial research ideas for the project, and connections to your previous work. The goal of the statement is to show your evidence of independent thinking and a grasp of the research field.
• Documentation of academic degrees (copy of degree certificates etc.) If the PhD is within 3 months of completion, please attach an official statement from the supervisor about the expected graduation

Applications without the above-mentioned required documents will not be assessed.

Please do NOT include reference letters at this stage. We may ask for references later in the process. Early contact with the project leader (Dr. Veronika Cheplygina, [email protected]) is strongly encouraged.

The applicant will be accessed according to the Appointment Order from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of 13 March 2012.

The IT University may use shortlisting in connection with the recruitment process. In case of shortlisting, the Chair of the hiring committee selects applicants for assessment in consultation with the hiring committee after the application deadline. All applicants are notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The shortlisting of candidates for assessment is based on the criteria in the job posting.

Further information
Questions about the positions can be directed to Full Professor, Veronika Cheplygina, IT University of Copenhagen, [email protected].

Questions related to the application procedure may be directed to HR, [email protected].

Application procedure
You can only apply for this position through our e-recruitment system. Apply by pressing the button "Apply for position" in the job announcement on our website.

The IT University might upon request in the interview process contact 1-2 references.

Application deadline: 31 January 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Applications/enclosures received at ITU after the application deadline will not be taken into consideration. If you submit an application, it is your responsibility to ensure that it arrives before the deadline so please allow sufficient time for upload of publications and other documents.

At The IT University of Copenhagen, we have an international environment and view diversity as a valuable resource. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive working environment for all our employees and encourage all qualified applicants, regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation, or ethnic background to apply for the position.

As ITU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

Application deadline: Apply no later than 31. January 2026

Department: Rued Langgaards Vej 7 2300 København S

Lokation: Data, Systems and Robotics