PhD and Postdoc Positions in Speech and Language Technology for Low Saxon Varieties at University of Groningen

The University of Groningen is offering two PhD positions and one postdoctoral researcher position in Speech and Language Technology for Low Saxon varieties, specifically focusing on Gronings and Drents. These roles are part of the MOI Grunnen | Drenthe project, which aims to develop AI-based speech and language technology to support primary school teachers and pupils in learning regional languages. The research will be embedded in the Center for Groningen Language and Culture (CGTC), Speech Lab Groningen, and the GroNLP group within the Faculty of Arts. The postdoctoral researcher will conduct high-quality research on developing and improving low-resource speech and language technology, including automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), and machine translation (MT) systems. The postdoc will also help supervise PhD students, collect and organize linguistic data, and participate in public engagement activities. The PhD candidates will focus on developing speech and language technology for Gronings and Drents, with the possibility to specialize in either speech or text technology, or a combination. Their work will be integrated into user-friendly online systems for educational use. Applicants for the postdoc position must have a PhD in Speech and/or Language Technology, Computational Linguistics, Computer Science, or Artificial Intelligence, with a strong publication record and experience in developing technology for low-resource languages. PhD applicants should have a relevant Master's degree (e.g., NLP, AI, Computer Science, Speech Technology, Human-Machine Interaction), excellent programming skills (Python), and experience with speech and language technology. Interest in regional languages is important, but speaking Gronings or Drents is not required. All candidates must have excellent English skills. Both positions are fully funded. The postdoc salary ranges from €3,546 to €4,728 gross per month (1.0 FTE, 4 years), and the PhD salary ranges from €3,059 to €3,881 gross per month (1.0 FTE, 4 years). Benefits include 232 vacation hours per year (based on a 38-hour workweek), 8.3% end-of-year bonus, 8% holiday allowance, and annual funding for conference travel. Appointments are temporary, with extensions based on positive evaluations. The application deadline for all positions is February 28, 2026. The selection process includes interviews in March 2026, and the PhD positions are expected to start on September 1, 2026. To apply, candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, diplomas, research proposal, and contact information for two academic referees. PhD applicants should also include a writing sample and a list of grades. For more information, visit the University of Groningen vacancy pages or contact Prof. Martijn Wieling at [email protected]. Keywords: Speech Technology, Language Technology, Low Saxon, Gronings, Drents, Computational Linguistics, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, Machine Translation, Automatic Speech Recognition.