Researcher "Explainable AI for Quantum-Enhanced Financial Risk Models"

We are looking for a researcher to join Q‑Fin, a BMFTR‑funded project developing quantum‑enhanced methods for financial risk analysis. Working at DFKI Saarbrücken under the supervision of Prof. Dr‑Ing. Wolfgang Maaß, you will focus on a central challenge: how do we explain and audit the outputs of quantum AI models in a way that regulators, risk managers, and auditors can trust?

The position offers the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree at Universität des Saarlandes and to work in a consortium with Forschungszentrum Jülich (quantum computing) and Deka Investment GmbH (real‑world financial data and validation).

Ihre Aufgaben

• Your core responsibility is the design and implementation of an explainability and audit layer for quantum‑based risk models. This means developing methods that trace how model inputs, i.e. market data, ESG indicators, risk factors, influence outputs such as Value‑at‑Risk or Expected Shortfall, and producing documentation that meets regulatory requirements (Basel IV, EU AI Act).
• You will build on state‑of‑the‑art XAI methods (SHAP, causal attribution, concept‑based explanations) and adapt them to the specifics of quantum machine learning models. You will validate your methods against real portfolio and stress‑test data provided by Deka, and publish your findings at leading venues in AI and computational finance.

Unsere Anforderungen

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field
• Strong background in machine learning and explainable AI
• Proficiency in Python and standard ML libraries
• Scientific curiosity and solid writing skills in English
• A plus: (1) Experience with quantum computing frameworks (e.g. Qiskit, PennyLane); (2) Background in quantitative finance or financial risk modeling; (3) Knowledge of causal inference or formal attribution methods

Was Sie erwarten können

• Doctoral supervision in an internationally connected research environment
• Collaboration with quantum computing experts at Forschungszentrum Jülich and practitioners at Deka Investment
• Access to real financial datasets and industrial use cases
• Active involvement in a national quantum computing research network (QC‑Next)
• A team that values rigour, directness, and interdisciplinary thinking

Schwerbehinderte Bewerberinnen und Bewerber und Gleichgestellte werden bei gleicher Eignung besonders berücksichtigt. Das DFKI beabsichtigt, den Anteil von Frauen im Wissenschaftsbereich zu erhöhen und fordert deshalb Frauen ausdrücklich auf, sich zu bewerben.