PhD in Multimodal AI & Game Research (Fully Funded)

About the role

Join a joint research project between ZHAW and the Technical University of Munich to develop cutting‑edge multimodal AI methods for analysing player behaviour in online multiplayer games. The PhD candidate will investigate toxic behaviour and social dynamics across different games and communication channels.

Key responsibilities

• Design and implement multimodal AI pipelines to extract information from gameplay, chat, audio, video, and telemetry data.
• Collect, curate, and integrate multimodal datasets from public game APIs, gameplay recordings and other research sources.
• Apply quantitative methods to study toxic behaviour and other social dynamics, interpreting results in the context of game design and player communities.
• Publish research findings at leading international conferences and in high‑impact journals.
• Present work at workshops, conferences and meetings with project partners.
• Collaborate with researchers from AI and game studies at ZHAW, TUM and other international institutions.
• Co‑supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s students working on related topics.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Data Science, Game Studies, Game Technology, Human‑Computer Interaction or a closely related field.
• Strong technical background in AI, machine learning or data science combined with an interest in game research or development.
• Excellent programming abilities and a solid affinity for quantitative and computational methods.

Required skills

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Data Science
• Computer Science
• Programming (e.g., Python)

What we offer

• Fully funded three‑year PhD position through the DIZH Fellowship Programme.
• Joint supervision by ZHAW and the Technical University of Munich.
• Access to extensive multimodal game data and state‑of‑the‑art research infrastructure.
• Opportunities to publish in top conferences and journals and to present at international events.
• Collaboration with a network of leading researchers in AI and game studies.