This post-doc contract is funded by the EU Horizon2020 Artificial
Intelligence for improved PROduction efFICIEncy, quality and maiNTenance
(AI-PROFICIENT) project.

It aims at investigating ethics by design in the context of the industry
of the future and more particularly the contribution of digitalization
and Artificial Intelligence to predictive maintenance issues and
production optimisation including human-system interaction. It is
therefore situated at the intersection between machine learning ethics,
human-machines and human-systems interactions and data management
issues. It represents a unique opportunity to experiment ethics by
design in a real human-in-the-loop industrial setting.

Considering the above paragraphs, the tasks related with the post-doc
goals will cover:
- state of the art bibliography and transfert to the manufacturing field;
- design phase: spreading of the ethical concept and issues to all
partners, elicitation of  ethical consideration in the use case definition;
- development phase: ensuring that ethical issues are understood and
considered by solution developers, foster the relation between
developers and users to ensure ethical issues are properly considered;
- in situ evaluation ethics: from design key ethical performance indexes
definition to workers situation assessment, in order to address the
benefits and stepbacks between the beginning and the implantation of the
project.

THE PROJECT
AI-PROFICIENT aims at bringing advanced AI technologies to manufacturing
and process industry, while improving the production planning and
execution, and facilitating the collaboration between humans and
machines. Taking the full advantage of AI capabilities and human
knowledge, AI-PROFICIENT will develop proactive control strategies to
improve the manufacturing process over three main vectors: production
efficiency, quality and maintenance. AI-PROFICIENT will increase the
positive impact of AI technology on the manufacturing process as a
whole, while keeping the human in central position, assuming supervisory
(human-on-the-loop) and executive (human-in-command) roles.
AI-PROFICIENT intends to identify the effective means for human-machine
interaction, while respecting the safety and security requirements and
following the ethical principles, in order to enable: event
identification and prediction, operation scenarios simulation,
transparent decision and optimal control, and personalized shop-floor
assistance.
The pilot sites of the project are the CONTINENTAL tyre manufacturing
plant in Sarreguemines and the INEOS Olefins & Polymers production sites
in Geel (Belgium) and Cologne (Germany).

REQUIREMENTS
• PhD in philosophy or computer science/AI with a strong experience in
ethics, especially ethics by design.
• Candidates with interests in analytical philosophy (e.g. ethics of
algorithms, ethics of AI, ethics of technology, philosophy of action)
and strong affinity (or degree in) philosophy of science, epistemology,
philosophy of technology, philosophy of engineering and computer science
are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Strong interests in interdisciplinary research.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English (French not required,
but would be a plus).
• Solid knowledge of the GDPR regulation
• Organizational skills in project management and ability to work in a
team.

The post-doc will be integrated in the project and as such will
participate in meetings, write deliverables, present progress and
results and initiate publications.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Fixed-term contract: 1 year + 1 year.
Salary according to experience (between €2,100 and €2,900 per month
before taxes), including the French national health insurance.

EMPLOYER
The future post-doc will be recruited by Université de Lorraine to work
in Nancy, France, at the LORIA laboratory (https://www.loria.fr/en/), a
research unit, common to CNRS, the University of Lorraine and INRIA. The
lab groups more than 400 researchers, which scientific work is conducted
in 28 teams dealing with fundamental and applied research in computer
sciences.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To apply or get more information about this vacancy, you can contact
Karën Fort and Christophe Cerisara,
emails: karen.fort@loria.fr and christophe.cerisara@loria.fr

Please include in your application:
(a) CV (including a list of publications),
(b) motivation letter including names of two references.
Applications will be considered until October 15, or until the position
is filled.