Research Associate – Scientific evaluation and user analysis for the AI:Expertise Center.nrw (m/f/d)

The Center for Teaching and Learning Services (CLS) is the partner for teaching at RWTH Aachen University. In the CLS we develop solutions to improve teaching, learning and testing. The focus is also on the use of generic artificial intelligence (AI) to support our teachers and students. The consortial project “KI:Expertisezentrum.nrw”, funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of NRW, bundles the three previous AI projects KI:edu.nrw, KI:connect.nrw and OpenSource-KI.nrw. The aim is to strengthen the digital sovereignty of universities in the field of generic AI, to raise synergy effects and to develop NRW as a model for the meaningful use of AI in higher education. The project works in the three fields of action Competence, Inference and Apps. RWTH Aachen is responsible for the apps field of action at the AI:Expertisezentrum. Here, the development and operation of AI applications for all NRW high schools are responsible, especially the NRW’s own surface “KI:connect”. The enrolled office is located in the CLS and connects the public work and scientific communication for the Apps field of action with the organizational and administrative support of the project coordination at the RWTH site. The RWTH is certified as a family-friendly university. RWTH offers a variety of health, counselling and prevention services (e.g. university sports) as part of a university health management. There is a wide range of training and the possibility of obtaining a job ticket for employees and civil servants.

Conception of accompanying evaluation: You develop and implement a systematic, cross-acting and site evaluation concept for the AI offerings, applications and services developed in the project and coordinate it closely with those responsible for the three fields of action Competence, Inference and Apps as well as the overall project management. Benefit analysis and acceptance research: You design and conduct empirical studies on benefit requirements, usage behaviour, usability and acceptance of the AI applications and services of the project (especially AI:connect) and combine quantitative and qualitative processes such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, log data analyses and user-centric tests. Data analysis and reporting: You evaluate the quantitative and qualitative data collected in a methodologically clean manner, derive action-leading recommendations and prepare the results for the project bodies, the consortium and the donor. Iterative development management: You continuously feed the evaluation results into the iterative further development of the offers and the software, work closely with the development teams at the RWTH site and at the further consortium colleges and thus ensure the greatest possible acceptance and usage orientation of the developed solutions. Preparation of external evaluation: You support the preparation of the external formative interim evaluation as well as the summative project evaluation, provide the internal data and analyses required for this purpose and thus contribute to the strategic position for a sustainable connection solution of the project. Scientific communication and networking: You publish evaluation results in relevant scientific and practice-oriented formats (publications, conferences, workshops) and actively network with actors in empirical education and AI research in the NRW AI ecosystem – in particular with partners in the consortium as well as networks such as AI.NRW, the University Forum Digitization and the AI campus.

You have successfully completed a university degree with the Master degree or a comparable degree in a subject relevant to the enrolled job (e.g. psychology, education, social sciences, economics or communication sciences, empirical educational research). You have profound experience in the design and implementation of scientific evaluations, ideally in the context of higher education, digital transformation or the use of AI in educational contexts. You control the entire range of empirical research methods safely, from quantitative methods (e.g. surveys, log data analysis, statistical analysis) to qualitative methods (e.g. interviews, focus groups, content analysis) as well as use-centric approaches (e.g. UX research, usability tests, acceptance analyses). You have competences in cross-device cooperation with different stakeholders and in addressable preparation and communication of scientific results. You have the ability to work quickly into complex situations and environments. You are open to the combination of scientific and service-oriented work. You are familiar with concepts of formal and summative evaluation, quality assurance and user-centric iterative product development. You bring interest in and ideally knowledge of generic AI as well as their use in university and education. You have very good knowledge of German and English.

We live in the CLS a valuable, integrative, respectful and innovative working and communication culture. Close cross-departmental exchange, short, digital communication channels, mutual support and flexible working conditions with mobile working models are of course foundations for us. The employment is in the employment relationship. The place shall be occupied at the earliest possible date and shall be fixed at 31.12.2030. The temporary employment is carried out within the framework of the time-limits of the science-time contract law. It is a full-time job. The grouping depends on the TV-L. The place is rated with EC 13. The job description is aimed at all sexes. We want to promote the careers of women at RWTH Aachen University and are therefore looking forward to applicants. Women are preferably taken into account in the case of equal suitability, competence and professional performance, provided You are underrepresented in the organisational unit and, if not in the person of a competitor, outweigh the reasons. Applications for suitable people with difficulty are expressly desired. For the purposes of equal treatment, we ask you to waive an application photo. At https://www.rwth-aachen.de/bewerb/dsgvo-information you will find information on the collection of personal data pursuant to Articles 13 and 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). .