Data2Action: is the MSCA Doctoral Training Network programme uniting social innovation with data science & AI for common good. Data2Action exists to make emerging technology work harder for humanity, enabling us to co-create a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world for all.

Read more about Data2Action here

Doctoral Candidate Research Project

The main objective of the research project of the doctoral candidate is to develop computational forecasting methods to support social innovators. In particular, the aim is to help social innovators to anticipate future implications of political, economic, and social factors affecting their work. To help organizations anticipate societal trends (e.g., migration patterns, legislative changes), evidence-based forecasting techniques regularly used by human experts will be combined with advanced language technologies, such as large language models (LLMs). These should help the users evaluate potential outcomes of their actions based on comparable past experiences.

To achieve this, the fellow will:

1) Identify and categorize questions about the future that are most relevant and impactful for social innovation contexts, considering principles such as ethics, security, inclusion, diversity and equity principles, as well as environmental perspective.

2) Translate evidence-based human forecasting techniques into computational methods suitable for integration with LLMs and related technologies. This will include decomposing complex forecasting problems into sub-questions, designing and implementing strategies to utilize language technologies and web-based information retrieval for data collection relevant to forecasting tasks, and creating methods to aggregate and synthesize forecasts, applying principles inspired by prediction markets and the wisdom of crowds.

3) Develop user-friendly, automated forecasting tools enabling social innovators to effectively obtain practical, evidence-based forecasts. These tools will be validated retrospectively on known historical scenarios and prospectively in collaboration with social innovators who are partners in the project.

Additionally, the doctoral candidate will complete two secondments at partner organizations. Namely, they will work with Data Orchard to gain an understanding of how social innovators interface with data and AI, and Universidade Catolica Portuguesa to experiment and refine the tool on a selection of their case studies.

The Doctoral Candidate will be expected to:

• Report on findings by publishing scientific articles, resulting in a PhD dissertation;
• Present findings at (inter)national meetings/conferences;
• Contribute to the wider work of the Data2Action project;
• Contribute to educational activities of the department and within the consortium.

Requirements

Essential:

• Eligible applicants must possess or be finalising a Master’s degree or an equivalent degree in a relevant discipline for Data2Action, especially computer science, artificial intelligence, ICT engineering, and digital humanities.
• Excellent English language proficiency
• Competencies: Open-minded, self-aware, collaborative, critical thinker, team player, strong communicator.
• High interest in the topic of social innovation as the key concept of the PhD project.
• Applicants must be available full-time to start the program in September 2025.

Desirable:

• Prior experience in natural language processing or machine learning or programming
• Prior experience in academic writing or scientific publications
• Prior practical or research experience with social innovation and/or the public sector and/or artificial intelligence

Eligibility Conditions:

• Applicants do not already hold a doctoral degree.
• Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of recruitment for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

Application Deadline:

Sunday 18th May 2025

We Offer:

The MSCA programme offers competitive and attractive working conditions. You will have an employment contract from the recruiting beneficiary. You will benefit from a competitive salary, annual leave, social security coverage. For more information see EU MSCA website .

Selection process

Our selection procedure is open, transparent, merit-based, impartial, and equitable, in line with the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers ( link ).

Additional Comments

For more information about this position, you can contact Prof Mitja Luštrek.

We are hosting two information sessions on Tuesday 29th April 2025, for those interested in applying for a PhD fellow position with Data2Action. The session will start with a 15-minute presentation and then there will be a Q&A. We are running two sessions to ensure maximum global reach. Both sessions will be the same, so you should only attend one. Sign up here:

Tuesday 29th April 2025, 10am UK time – sign up here

Tuesday 29th April 2025, 6pm UK time - sign up here