Up to 4 Positions as Research Associate / PostDoc (all genders) in the Cluster of Excellence Reasonable AI 

About us

TU Darmstadt stands for excellent and relevant science. We are playing a decisive role in shaping far-reaching processes of global change—from energy transition to artificial intelligence—through outstanding scientific knowledge and innovative academic programmes. We group our cutting-edge research into three fields: Energy and Environment, Information and Intelligence, Matter and Materials. We are a university with strong ties to the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region and a very strong international focus. We are committed to European values and European integration.

About our department

The Cluster of Excellence 3057 Reasonable Artificial Intelligence (RAI) was selected in a highly competitive process as one of a total of 70 clusters of excellence to be funded nationwide. The research of the RAI Cluster of Excellence focuses on AI systems that acquire human-like communication and thinking skills and can recognize and classify new situations and adapt to them independently. The Cluster of Excellence conducts cutting-edge research at the highest international level and offers early-career scientists the best possible working and research conditions. The Cluster of Excellence is also closely integrated into the Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence (hessian.AI). RAI is divided into four research labs.

Research Lab Systemic AI: Systemic AI aims to develop systemic foundations to improve the effectiveness and quality of the development of RAIs and their integration into large-scale software systems. By increasing the level of abstraction, we will extend differentiable programming to multi-paradigm neurosymbolic programming and map high-level programming abstractions to hybrid AI architectures consisting of many AI modules. Our goal is to create programming foundations that inherently support the compositional construction of large-scale AI systems from modular and adaptive AI models. Furthermore, we believe that the composability and adaptability of AIs will form the basis for a future in which AI models are the “software” – we call this the AI-based computing paradigm.

Research Lab Observational AI: The Observational AI Lab focuses its research on AI systems and agents that act as observers, i.e., they collect information in a passive, observational manner. These systems extract information from a variety of modalities such as images, videos, audio data, or text to solve a wide range of observational tasks, ranging from perception to high-level logical reasoning. However, in order to successfully deploy AI solutions in the real world, it must be ensured that they are robust enough to cope with the unpredictable and dynamic nature of the world. This requires addressing the question: How can (basic) models of observational AI be designed so that they can serve as building blocks for use in the real world without being limited to specific tasks or areas?

Research Lab Active AI: An essential aspect of intelligence is the ability to adapt quickly to unexpected changes; humans and animals can do this, and they learn continuously throughout their lives by interacting with and exploring their environment. In contrast, current AI systems do not exhibit the same level of adaptability because training algorithms are unable to extrapolate effectively from observed data. Therefore, at the Active AI Lab, we aim to develop AI systems that go beyond the initial consumption of data and instead are proactive, reactive, and adaptable in their interaction with the world.

Research Lab Challenging AI with Cognitive Science: Challenging AI will help to understand the limits of AI systems by confronting them with tasks that humans can accomplish but current AI systems struggle with. The goal of Challenging AI with Cognitive Science is therefore to develop and collaboratively refine tasks that challenge current and future AI systems, including those developed in OAI and AAI. CAI develops tasks and benchmarks that evaluate (A) how well systems can bridge low-level perception to high-level thinking by abstracting from training data and transferring knowledge, (B) how adaptable and flexible they are in acquiring new skills in new situations, (C) how actively they discover new representations and knowledge, (D) how understandable the symbolic explanations they find are to humans, and (E) how they perform theory-of-mind inferences about themselves and other actors to enable cooperative interactions.

Your tasks

• You will play a key role in setting up, coordinating, and organizing one of the above-mentioned research labs and will coordinate its research activities in close consultation with the lab management. There is a maximum of one postdoctoral position available per research lab.
• You will conduct independent research within the research lab and further your scientific qualifications; you will publish internationally.
• You will take on teaching duties (and participate in the supervision of students and doctoral candidates).
• You will collaborate on the acquisition of new research projects.
• You will proactively contribute to strategic and organizational exchange with the Cluster of Excellence’s administrative office.
• You will support the networking of the research lab with relevant stakeholders.

Your profile

You have completed an outstanding doctorate in one of the Research Labs’ subject areas.

You also have: 

• Proven scientific skills demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications
• Very good written and spoken English skills
• Experience in scientific support, setting up, and coordinating research projects is a plus
• Experience in acquiring larger research projects is a plus

Personally, you are characterized by:

• Analytical thinking and a high degree of self-organization
• Curiosity and creativity  
• Openness to working in an interdisciplinary team
• Confident manner, even in front of groups, clear communication style, and moderation skills
• You like to contribute to the development and organization of an interdisciplinary research initiative

We offer

Technical University of Darmstadt offers varied and challenging assignments, freedom to work independently, the latest technologies, good collaboration between colleagues in partnership, needs-based training opportunities and customised personnel development.

The fulfillment of the duties likewise enables the scientific qualifications of the candidate.

• Development and organisation – comprehensive in-house training offers, including the opportunity for continuing education and development;
• Annual leave/educational leave – 30 days annual leave (full-time employment) and 5 days educational leave;
• Sustainable and mobile – eligibility to free public transport in the state of Hesse with the LandesTicket Hessen (Hesse StateTicket) in accordance with the currently valid collective agreement, in addition to opportunities to working mobile at times;
• Fit and healthy – free of charge preventive medical check-ups and a wide-ranging subsidised sports programme;
• Work-life balance – flexible working time models, plus BGM (Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement – University Health Management);
• Pension scheme – supplementary public service pension scheme (VBL) in accordance with the currently applicable regulations;
• University bicycle
• Family-friendliness/compatibility of family/care/career – (university-run) childcare services, child allowance (based on the collective agreement), childcare programmes during school holidays.

General information, data privacy

TU Darmstadt intends to increase the number of female employees and encourages female candidates to apply. In case of equal qualifications, applicants with a degree of disability of at least 50 or equal will be given preference. Remuneration is in accordance with the collective agreement for the Technical University of Darmstadt (TV – TU Darmstadt). Part-time employment is generally possible.

By submitting your application, you agree that your data may be stored and processed for the purpose of filling the vacancy. You can find our privacy policy on our webpage.

Additional information

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Christof-Matthias Neubrand  on +49 6151 16 28553

In addition to the usual application documents, please submit a research proposal of no more than one page.

Up to 4 Positions as Research Associate / PostDoc (all genders) in the Cluster of Excellence Reasonable AI

Job code                 T574-2025

Published on                 2/2/2026

End of application period         3/31/2026

Renumeration         Pay group 14 TV TU Darmstadt

Temporary job         Temporary (2 years, extension possible)

Location                         Darmstadt

Extent                         100%

Start date                  Starting immediately

Contact

Christof-Matthias Neubrand

+49 6151 16 28553

christof-matthias.neubrand@hessian.ai