Research assistant in Designing an AR Remote Sign Language Interpreting Service

Would you like to contribute to rethinking how deaf people access essential services through technology, especially Augmented Reality, with key national partners in the Netherlands?

Join our research team!
Around 25% of the Dutch population lives with long-term visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities and diversities, often facing barriers to participation, equity and inclusion. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which mandates that EU service providers ensure digital accessibility by 2025, marks a critical step toward reducing these inequalities. However, technology that is not co-designed with affected communities often lacks social acceptance and fails to meet real needs. As part of the TACIT (Inclusive Technologies for Access and Social Participation) project, you will contribute to the co-design and co-creation of immersive media technologies through inclusive and participatory design methods. TACIT aims to enhance the accessibility of public services, accelerate the adoption of the EAA, drive innovation in assistive technologies, and promote broader societal inclusion through equitable, inclusive, and human-centered design.
The TACIT project is funded by the NWO Perspectief program. You can find more information about it at

What you'll be doing
Within the TACIT project, you will focus on a specific use case: that of video-mediated sign language interpreting services (remote interpreting) in the Netherlands. Together with Berengroep, Nederlands Gebarencentrum, deaf and hard-of-hearing users and interpreters, you will:

• Co-develop and evaluate an improved system architecture for remote video-mediated interpreting services (Tolk op Afstand, TOA) making use of Augmented Reality;
• Conduct participatory research to understand user needs, experiences, and expectations;
• Contribute to recommendations and prototypes that enhance both deaf users’ access and service efficiency;
• Disseminate findings through academic and professional publications, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.

You will be part of an interdisciplinary team working at the intersection of inclusive design, technology, Deaf Studies, and accessibility. You will be part of the TACIT consortium, and will be expected to interact with other researchers in the consortium.

What we're looking for
We are looking for a candidate who has:

• A degree from a university of applied Sciences (HBO, or equivalent) in a relevant field;
• Demonstrated experience or strong interest in co-design, participatory research, or user experience research;
• Proficiency in Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT) or another sign language;
• Fluency in English (fluency in Dutch is recommended but not mandatory);
• Affinity with or lived experiences in deaf communities;
• Strong analytical and writing skills and an ability to communicate effectively with diverse partners, including deaf users, interpreters, and technology developers;
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team.

It is preferable if additionally, you have experience with participatory or co-design methods, particularly involving deaf and hard-of hearing participants, familiarity with remote interpreting and/or sign language technology, and/or experience working with or within deaf organisations, interpreter services, or accessibility-related organizations.

What we're offering you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 24-38 hours per week for a period of 22 months (when working 38 hours per week) with a probationary period of two months. The preferred starting date is to be discussed. The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between €3,708 - €5,538 (scale 9 or 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Education/Research Officer is applicable. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.
Curious about our extensive secondary benefits package? You can read more about it here.

Where you'll be working
The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 42,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
The Institute for Logic, Language and Computation is home to a thriving community of scholars, including philosophers, logicians, mathematicians, computer scientists, linguists, musicologists, and cognitive scientists, who share a fascination with the interdisciplinary study of information. At the ILLC we combine the problem solving skills from the sciences with the holistic and reflective view of the humanities to discover the principles that regulate information processing and find answers to some of the hardest challenges of our time.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

• Floris Roelofsen, [email protected]
• Maartje de Meulder, [email protected]

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the Apply button. We accept applications until and including 31 January 2026.
Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file):

• a detailed CV including your education and work experience;
• a letter of motivation;
• a list of publications;
• the names and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation.

Due to Dutch legislation, the UvA is obliged to recruit within the EU for non-scientific positions. If you are not a EU-citizen (including Norway and Switzerland) please do not apply for this vacancy.
Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.
The interviews will be held in the course of February 2026.