Introduction

We are looking for a PhD student to join our team to explore how input visualization can improve collective, data-driven sensemaking with the general public. This research will focus on amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups in public decision-making by designing systems that foreground missing data and gaps in datasets. The project will involve external partners such as NGOs or Museums for research interventions and field studies.

The deadline to apply is 14/09/2026.
Supervisors: Nathalie Bressa and Samuel Huron
Institution: Télécom Paris, Polytechnic Institute of Paris, France
Start date: February, 2027
Duration: 3 Years
Funding: Fully funded

What you will be doing:

• Investigate current practices: Conduct observations, interviews, workshops, and focus groups with stakeholders, citizens, or community groups.
• Co-design with stakeholders: Organize participatory workshops with policy-makers or citizens to develop input visualization systems to address missing data.
• Prototyping: Create concrete prototypes for the stakeholders of missing data.
• Evaluate in real-world settings: Test designs through field studies, interviews, or observations in collaboration with partners, including events at their premises or public spaces (e.g., museums).
• Publish your findings and present them: Publish research in Human-Computer Interaction and Visualization conferences.

Candidate Profile

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Human-Computer Interaction, Information Visualization, Interaction Design, Computer Science, or a related area
• Excellent skills and knowledge in information visualization and/or Human-Computer Interaction
• Knowledge in interaction design
• Experience with physical prototyping and sketching
• Programming skills are a plus
• Desire to question, critique, and understand the world and technology
• Strong teamwork and critical thinking skills
• Strong communication skills to engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in English is a prerequisite; French language skills are not required, but are a plus

Project context

The position will be co-supervised by Nathalie Bressa and Samuel Huron and is in collaboration with the Bivwac Team in Bordeaux. This PhD. position is funded by the project CollEcTIVE (Collaborative environments for understanding complex topics through interactive visualization experiences) in collaboration with INRIA (Martin Hachet, Yvonne Jansen, Pierre Dragicevic, Benjamin Bach, Nathalie Bressa, and Samuel Huron). Part of the PEPR Ensemble.

Conditions of Employment & Employer

The offered position is a fully funded full-time position for 3 years. The candidate will be able to devote their entire time to research. There is no mandatory teaching; however, the candidate can receive extra money for teaching classes if wanted.

Employer

Télécom Paris is one of the top engineering schools in Paris. These schools are the more competitive variant of universities in the public education system of France, with student admission ratios of around 5%-10%. The school was founded in 1878, and prides itself to have invented the word “telecommunication”. In May 2019, the school announced to collaborate with six other grandes écoles (Ecole Polytechnique, ENSTA, ENSAE, Telecom Paris, Telecom SudParis, École des ponts) to form the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP-Paris). IP Paris brings together six prestigious graduate schools with one ambition: create a world-class institute committed to cutting-edge research and excellence in training. The founding graduate schools embody experience, history and roots, positioning IP Paris as a leading educational institution, both in France and internationally. In this context, the school moved into a new building located in Palaiseau, approximately 30 minutes south of Paris. The candidate will be associated with the DIVA team in the Computer Science department and the INTERACT team in the Social Science department.

Location

The school building is in Palaiseau on the campus of Institut Polytechnique de Paris. It is well-connected by public transportation (Metro station, several bus lines, and bike lanes) and inside a National Park (La Vallée de Chevreuse). The campus is approximately 30 minutes from Paris. Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world and has a large number of museums, theatres, art and design exhibitions, vivid art, sport, music, scientific, tech, and nightlife scenes.

How to apply

Send us your CV, a motivation letter, diplomas/study transcripts, and links to previous publications, projects, or your Master's thesis. The deadline to apply is 14/09/2026 to phd-hiring@telecom-paris.fr. If you have questions about the position, please contact us.

Application deadline: 14/09/2026
Decision Notification: 30/09/2026
Administrative validation: October
Start: February 2027 in person at Télécom Paris in France

Institutions