Postdoc Position in Adaptive Multimodal Human-Technology Interaction Automated Driving

Postdoc Position in Adaptive Multimodal Human-Technology Interaction for Automated Driving

Join TU Delft’s Human-Centered Design Department as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the EU project AutHUMate and shape the future of adaptive human-technology interaction for automated driving systems.

The Human-Centered Design Department at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of TU Delft is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the European Horizon Europe project AutHUMate (Adaptive User Training & Human-Technology Interaction Strategy for Enhanced Traffic Safety).

AutHUMate investigates how automated driving systems (SAE Level 2–3) can interact with drivers in ways that are safe, adaptive, understandable, and trustworthy. As vehicles become increasingly automated, new challenges emerge around human-technology interaction, such as trust in automation, transitions of control, driver awareness, and the communication of system capabilities and limitations. The project brings together expertise from human-computer interaction, AI, human factors, cognitive science, and mobility research to develop adaptive interaction and training strategies for automated driving.

At TU Delft, the postdoctoral researcher will contribute primarily to the design exploration and prototype implementation of adaptive human‑machine interaction concepts that integrate technical innovation with human‑centred design principles and societal readiness considerations.

You will work at the intersection of:

• Human‑computer interaction and human‑centred AI
• Adaptive and multimodal interface design
• Driver state monitoring and contextual interaction
• Human factors and cognitive/perceptual ergonomics
• Design research and participatory design methods
• Prototyping and evaluation of intelligent interactive systems

The research will contribute to the development of adaptive interaction strategies that dynamically support drivers based on cognitive state, workload, attention, and situational context. This includes designing and evaluating multimodal interaction concepts using visual, auditory, and haptic communication modalities, as well as supporting prototype development and integration within simulation and real‑world testing environments.

A key aspect of the role is bridging technical implementation with design‑driven and societal perspectives. You will collaborate closely with interdisciplinary project partners from academia and industry across Europe, including experts in AI, automated driving, cognitive science, driver monitoring, and societal readiness assessment. The project explicitly integrates inclusive and participatory design approaches to ensure that adaptive automated driving systems are trustworthy, understandable, and accessible for diverse user groups.

You will be part of an interdisciplinary research environment within TU Delft and contribute to scientific publications, project deliverables, workshops, demonstrators, and international collaboration activities within the AutHUMate consortium.

• PhD in Human‑Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Interaction Design or a related field
• Strong interest in human‑centred intelligent systems and adaptive interaction
• Experience with prototyping and implementing interactive systems
• Experience with Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality and/or physiological sensing
• Programming skills for research prototypes and data‑driven systems (e.g., Python, Unity, web technologies, or similar)
• Experience with user studies and experimental design
• Ability to work independently in an interdisciplinary and international research team
• Excellent communication and academic writing skills in English

• Knowledge of human factors, cognitive ergonomics, or usability engineering
• Experience with participatory design, co‑creation, or societal aspects of technology design
• Dutch language proficiency is considered a plus, as this role involves conducting user research with participants in the Netherlands

• Duration of contract is 20-25 months. Temporary.
• A job of 30,4-40 hours per week.
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch…