Doctoral researcher in Educational sciences

About us

The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character.

The Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) at the University of Luxembourg brings together expertise from the humanities, linguistics, cognitive sciences, social and educational sciences.
People from across 20 disciplines are working within the Faculty. Along with the disciplinary approach a very ambitious interdisciplinary research culture has been developed. The faculty's research and teaching focuses on social, economic, political and educational issues with the common goal of contributing to an inclusive, open and resourceful society.

The doctoral student will be a member of the Institute of Teaching and Learning, within the Department of Education and Social Work. The person will be part of a dynamic organisational context of a growing, globally connected research university.

Your role

• Develop a thesis in Educational sciences under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Thierry Geoffre (https://www.uni.lu/fhse-en/people/thierry-geoffre/) on topics related to the languages of literacy in the Luxembourgish primary school context (mostly French, German) and grammatical error correction (GEC) systems. GEC has emerged as a cornerstone of AI-supported language learning, offering automated feedback previously available only through human instruction. GEC systems are designed to automatically detect and correct grammatical, syntactic, and lexical errors in learners' writing (Yuan, 2017). For multilingual and non-native speakers, this real-time, personalised feedback can significantly accelerate language development by supporting independent learning and revision. Given the highly multilingual context in Luxembourg, and the ambition of inclusive school, proposing a GEC system to K-12 students, especially primary school students, in languages of literacy would be an innovation of high interest
• Collaborate actively with an interdisciplinary PhD committee composed of Computer scientists and linguists
• Produce high‑quality research articles together with researchers involved in the project
• Assist the supervisor with day‑to‑day management, the organisation of research activities and the preparation of learning data
• Contribute to teaching and mentoring Bachelor students

Your profile

• Master's degree in educational sciences or computer science, with a focus on inclusive, multilingual education. Experience in at least one of the following areas is required
• Interest in inclusive language education and K-12 education issues and ambition to advance one of the aforementioned subject areas
• The possibility of a joint supervision arrangement between Education and Computer Science could be explored
• Operational Language Requirements: Excellent command of English and good working knowledge of French is required

Academic Eligibility (Thesis):

Applicants must demonstrate at least B2-level proficiency in the language of their thesis. For details and accepted certificates, please visit the Application for admission - Doctoral Candidates.

We offer

• A modern, dynamic university with a personal and inclusive atmosphere. Multilingual and international character. Staff coming from more than 90 countries. Member of The Guild of European Research Intensive Universities
• An exceptional research environment, supported by skilled staff and high-quality equipment. Strong links to professional sectors and the Luxembourg labour market. A unique urban campus with excellent infrastructure
• A partner for society and industry. Cooperation with European institutions, innovative companies, the Financial Centre and a wide range of non-academic partners including ministries, local governments, associations, and NGOs

How to apply

Applications should include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter presenting your motivation for this doctoral thesis topic, and explaining how your qualifications and aspirations align with its academic focus
• Transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses taken

Early application is highly encouraged, as the applications will be processed upon reception. Please apply ONLINE formally through the HR system. Applications by Email will not be considered.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. In line with our values, the University of Luxembourg promotes an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are dedicated to upholding equality and respect for our employees and students.

General information:

• Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month
• Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week
• Location: Belval Campus
• Internal Title: Doctoral Researcher
• Job Reference: UOL08541

The yearly gross salary for every Doctoral researcher at the UL is EUR 44531 (full time).