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Project description
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SEMIRA is a European funded project, locally administered through the Dutch research Council NWO. The SEMIRA project studies the interaction between emerging Normative behaviour and new regulations in different cultures and different countries. The goal is to support the preparation of new regulations of different government bodies. A theoretical framework will be developed based on work done on emerging norms on the
one hand and formal frameworks on norm enforcement on the other hand. Two types of agent-based simulation tools will be developed based on it. One tool will validate the theoretical framework with actual people. The other will do large scale simulations based on emergent behaviour.
The project is a cooperation between world leading research groups in this area; Hofstede (Wageningen), Conte (Rome), Paiva (Lisbon) and Dignum (Utrecht).
The postdoc in Utrecht will specifically perform research on the interaction between emerging and imposed norms in individual agents. The postdoc will be in close cooperation with the postdoc in Wageningen who will focus on the cultural influences in this interaction.

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Requirements
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PhD in Computer Science or AI.
An undogmatic, inquisitive attitude.
Perfect communication skills in the English language.
Knowledge of formal models for agents.
Knowledge of norms, norm formalizations and norm operationalization.
Affinity with implementation (at least some experience with agent programming).
Affinity with trait-based culture research.

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We offer
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You are offered a position for two years. The salary will be in the range between € 2,379 and € 3,755 gross per month (scale 10). The salary is supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8,3% per year.
In addition we offer: a pension scheme, a partially paid parental leave, flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

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Application
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Please send your application (including a letter of motivation, curriculum vitae before 8 November, 2010 to email: Science.PenO@uu.nl
Please mention vacancy number 64009.

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More information
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Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from: Dr Frank Dignum, tel. +31 30 253 9109, e-mail: dignum@cs.uu.nl.