PhD in Trustworthy AI and Causal Inference for Earth Observation Wageningen University & Research in Netherlands

PhD opportunity at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands on Trustworthy AI and Causal Inference for Earth Observation. The project sits in the Artificial Intelligence chair and is embedded in the European project PROTEUS, with applications to climate extremes, agricultural disasters, and satellite-based Earth observation.

You will work on causal machine learning, uncertainty quantification, out-of-distribution detection, and time-series analysis for multimodal remote sensing data. The research aims to explain crop failure and disentangle the effects of compounding stressors such as heat, drought, and pollution, while building trustworthy AI methods for high-stakes environmental decision-making.

Supervision is by Prof. Ioannis Athanasiadis and Dr. Vassilis Sitokonstantinou. The post is based in Wageningen, Netherlands, and includes a fully funded PhD position, tailored training, visa and relocation support, and a salary from €3,059 to €3,881 per month plus an 8.3% year-end bonus.

Eligibility highlights include an MSc in AI, statistics, computer science, remote sensing, engineering, or a related field; applied machine learning experience; strong interest in probabilistic ML, causal inference, or time-series; Python and PyTorch/Scikit-learn skills; and English at C1 level. Experience with Earth observation data, Git, and HPC is advantageous.

To apply, submit a CV, motivation letter, and one sample of scientific writing, with a maximum of 3 pages total. Transcripts are not required at this stage. The deadline is 11 May 2026, and first interviews are scheduled for 26 May 2026.