PhD Position in Explainable Machine Learning for Single-Cell Biology, University of Amsterdam
Job Description
The University of Amsterdam has a funded PhD position in explainable machine learning for single-cell biology. You will build models that are easy to interpret and that use what biologists already know. The post pays €3,204 to €4,051 a month.
At a glance
- Position: PhD candidate, 4-year appointment, 38 hours a week (vacancy 15476)
- Where: Biosystems Data Analysis group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Pay: €3,204 to €4,051 gross a month
- Supervisors: Dr Stavros Makrodimitris and Prof. Aalt-Jan van Dijk
- Apply: 31 October 2026
What the explainable machine learning PhD involves
- Build interpretable-by-design ML models for single-cell (multi-)omics data
- Build existing biological knowledge into the models
- Develop new algorithms and design in-silico experiments to test them
- Apply the models to single-cell data from fields such as immunology and cancer biology
- Lead the writing of papers for journals and conferences
- Join the UvA PhD training programme and help teach and supervise students
- Use national computing infrastructure at SURF
Why this role matters
Single-cell data is huge, and black-box models rarely tell biologists why they predict what they do. Models that explain themselves can point to real genes and pathways. This PhD trains you in both deep learning and biology, a mix in high demand in universities and in biotech.
What UvA is looking for
- An MSc in bioinformatics, AI, data science, biostatistics or a closely related field
- Proven experience training machine-learning or deep-learning models, preferably in Python
- A basic understanding of biology, or a clear interest in it
- Fluent English
Pay and location
The salary is €3,204 to €4,051 gross a month for 38 hours a week, on the Dutch university scale. The official appointment runs four years. The advert encourages you to apply even if you do not meet every preference. The work is in Amsterdam.
How to apply
Apply through the official UvA page. The closing date is 31 October 2026. Upload your CV with months, and one PDF with a motivation letter and the names and emails of two referees. A knowledge-security check may be part of selection.
See all our PhD positions, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: University of Amsterdam
Official advertisement: werkenbij.uva.nl
How to prepare for this application
- Share one ML project with code, and explain how you checked that the model learned something real
- Read about interpretable models for single-cell data, such as those that use gene programmes or pathways
- Learn the basics of single-cell RNA-seq: counts, normalisation and clustering
- Say in your letter which biological question you would most like to explain with ML
- Put months in your CV dates, as the advert asks
About the University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam was founded in 1632 and is one of the largest research universities in the Netherlands. The Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences is part of its Faculty of Science.
