Funded PhD & Postdoctoral Positions (3 openings): Urban Digital Twins, AI, GIS & Urban Planning

Ariel University (Ariel, Israel) invites applications for three funded positions (PhD and/or Postdoc level) within a research programme hosted by the Architectural Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (AAIRL) in the School of Architecture. The project focuses on research at the intersection of urban analytics, AI, GIS, interoperability, and urban planning, including the development and validation of solutions through a real-world metropolitan pilot deployment.

Research environment

Successful candidates will join AAIRL, a research lab in Ariel University’s School of Architecture focusing on the development and application of AI methods for the built environment and urban systems. The team works in a multidisciplinary setting, collaborating across data science, geoinformatics, urban planning, and software/prototyping.

The project offers opportunities to work with real-world stakeholders and datasets, develop publishable methods and prototypes, and contribute to deployable software components. Researchers are integrated into the university research community through academic supervision/mentorship, regular research meetings, and support via university and national research-grant frameworks (subject to progress and applicable regulations).

Open positions (PhD and/or Postdoc)

1) Interoperable GIS Data Infrastructure and Harmonisation (PhD/Postdoc)

Focus: design and development of the data backbone for an urban planning system, enabling systematic integration of heterogeneous datasets and reusable, standards-aligned workflows.

Indicative topics:

• Spatio-temporal data urban management
• Interoperability across GIS–BIM–IoT ecosystems
• Multiple urban AI tool orchestration 

2) Urban AI Models (Mobility, Climate, Energy, Morphology, Optimisation) (PhD/Postdoc)

Focus: AI models and evaluation methodologies for prediction, scenario analysis, and optimisation supporting urban decision-making in a digital twin.

Indicative topics can include some of the following:

• Mobility analytics and forecasting
• Urban energy modeling
• Climate/heat risk modeling
• Urban morphology and urban form analysis
• Multi-objective optimisation for planning scenarios

3) User Experience and Explainable AI (XAI) for Urban Digital Twins (PhD/Postdoc)

Focus: user-facing tools and interaction paradigms that make UDTs practical and trustworthy for real-world stakeholders.

Indicative topics:

• Stakeholder-centred UX research
• Interactive geospatial interfaces and scenario exploration
• Explainable AI methods for spatial decision-making
• Uncertainty communication and transparency
• Human-in-the-loop decision workflows

Funding and support

For PhD candidates

• Tuition fees: Fully covered
• Monthly stipend: NIS 5,000–6,000/month (Ariel University funding) plus ~NIS 4,000/month supported by national research grants (subject to satisfactory progress and applicable university/grant regulations)
• Accommodation: Student dormitories are available on campus; rental costs in Ariel are relatively low

For Postdoctoral researchers

• Salary/stipend: Competitive postdoctoral funding package (level commensurate with experience and funding rules), supported through Ariel University and national research-grant frameworks (subject to applicable regulations)
• Research support: Access to lab computing/software resources and support for research dissemination (subject to funding rules)

Duration and appointment type

• PhD: Full-time or part-time, typically 3–4 years (depending on study mode and progress)
• Postdoc: Typically 12–24 months (exact duration and renewal options depend on funding availability and performance)

Location

All positions are based at Ariel University (Ariel, Israel), with project activities connected to a metropolitan pilot deployment.

Entry requirements

PhD applicants

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognised academic institution
• Two academic recommendation letters from PhD-holding academics (can be provided later)

Postdoc applicants

• PhD degree (or near completion) in a relevant field (e.g., computer science, GIS, urban planning, architecture, transportation, data science, HCI/UX)
• Strong publication record or demonstrated research outputs relevant to the chosen position

Language:

• English is mandatory (written and spoken)
• Hebrew or German is considered an advantage