PhD Position in the Project "SAving Energy by Learning and ImproviNG logic-based optimization models"

[Gerhard Friedrich]

Project researcher predoctoral 
(all genders welcome)

Department of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity

University of Klagenfurt, Austria

Scientific Staff | Full time

Application deadline: 01 August 2024

Announcement

The University of Klagenfurt, with approximately 1,500 employees and over 12,000 students, is located in the Alps-Adriatic region and consistently achieves excellent placements in rankings. The motto “per aspera ad astra” underscores our firm commitment to the pursuit of excellence in all activities in research, teaching, and university management. The principles of equality, diversity, health, sustainability, and compatibility of work and family life serve as the foundation for our work at the university. 

The University of Klagenfurt is pleased to announce the following open position at the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, Intelligent Systems and Business Informatics, at the Faculty of Technical Sciences with an expected starting date of September 1, 2024:

Project researcher predoctoral

(all genders welcome)

Your personal sphere of influence

As a project researcher, you will join the research team around Prof. Gerhard Friedrich and Prof. Konstantin Schekotihin working on the project “SAving Energy by Learning and ImproviNG logic-based optimization models (SAELING)” funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency in the focus area “Artificial Intelligence for Green.” You will work in a multilingual research team with Siemens, Voestalpine, and KU Leuven, Belgium (Prof. Tias Guns). 

The SAELING research project will use machine learning methods to generate prediction models that will be used for scheduling in multi-objective optimization problems to find energy- and resource-saving strategies for the industrial use case of metal processing. This project combines sub-symbolic and symbolic methods of artificial intelligence and, therefore, is closely connected to the Austrian cluster of excellence “Bilateral Artificial Intelligence,” in which the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity participates. Clusters of excellence are the Austrian flagships of basic research. 

If you are open to new challenges and value teamwork in a successful research environment, you are welcome to join our team!

Level of employment: 100 % (40 hours/week)

Minimum salary: € 50,103.20 per annum (gross); classification according to collective agreement: B1

Limited to: 3 years

Application deadline: by August 1, 2024

Area of responsibility

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Autonomous scientific work, including the publication of research articles in the field of artificial intelligence, with a specific emphasis on symbolic AI, in particular logic, logic programming, and multi-objective optimization and its integration with machine learning based on artificial neural networks.
  • Conduct theoretical and practical (empirical) research
  • Aim to submit a dissertation and acquire a doctoral degree
• Collaboration with industry partners
  • Specification of application scenarios
  • Implementation and evaluation of proof-of-concept prototypes
• Contribution to organizational and administrative tasks
• Participation in public relations activities

The successful candidate is expected to pursue a PhD within the thematic doctoral program Informatics at the University of Klagenfurt. This position serves the purposes of the vocational and scientific education of graduates of Master’s or Diploma degree programs with the goal of completing a doctoral degree in Technical Sciences. Applications by persons who have already completed a subject-specific doctoral degree can, therefore, not be considered.

In research and teaching, the research group Intelligent Systems and Business Informatics works on knowledge representation and reasoning in intelligent systems with an emphasis on application in production. The research group focuses on logic-based/constrained-based problem-solvers, their integration with machine learning, and their applicability to large practical problem instances. The spectrum of the research activities ranges from developing new problem-solving methods in declarative languages and their combination with machine learning to the implementation of systems supporting such methods.

Requirements

Prerequisites for the appointment:

• Master’s degree at a domestic or foreign higher education institution in computer science or a related field. This requirement must be fulfilled two weeks before the starting date at the latest; hence, the last possible deadline for meeting this requirement is August 18, 2024
• Background in one or more of the following fields: symbolic artificial intelligence, such as logic programming, constraint programming, deep learning, or reinforcement learning
• Solid communication and dissemination skills
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken)

Desired skills

• Ability to work in a diverse team
• Programming skills, preferably Python
• Experience with answer set or constraint programming tools, e.g., clingo or OR-Tools
• Knowledge of deep learning frameworks, like PyTorch or TensorFlow

German language skills are not required, but successful applicants will be expected to acquire them during their appointment.

Additional information

Our offer

The employment contract is concluded for the position as project researcher (predoctoral) and stipulates a starting salary of € 3,578.80 gross per month (14 times a year).

The University of Klagenfurt also offers:

• Personal and professional advanced training courses, management and career coaching, including bespoke training for women in science
• Numerous attractive additional benefits, see also  https://jobs.aau.at/en/the-university-as-employer/
• Diversity- and family-friendly university culture
• The opportunity to live and work in the attractive Alps-Adriatic region with a wide range of leisure activities in the spheres of culture, nature and sports

The application:

If you are interested in this position, please apply in English providing the following documents:

• Letter of application explaining the motivation and including a statement of interest in research 
• Curriculum vitae (please do not include a photo)
• Copies of degree certificates (Bachelor and Master)
• Copies of official transcripts (Bachelor and Master) containing the list of all courses and grades
• Master’s thesis. If the thesis is not available, the candidate should provide an explanation.
• Three references (contact details of persons who the university may contact by email or telephone for information purposes)

To apply, please send your application to Petra Wiesner (petra....@aau.at).

If an applicant has not received the master’s degree by the application deadline, the applicant should provide a declaration, written either by a supervisor or by the candidate themselves, on the feasibility of finishing the master’s degree before August 18, 2024.

Candidates must provide proof that they meet the required qualifications by August 18, 2024, at the latest.

For further information on this specific vacancy, please contact Prof. Dr. Gerhard Friedrich (gerhard....@aau.at). General information about the university as an employer can be found at https://jobs.aau.at/en/the-university-as-employer/. 

The University of Klagenfurt aims to increase the proportion of women and therefore specifically invites qualified women to apply for the position. Where the qualification is equivalent, women will be given preferential consideration. People with disabilities or chronic diseases, who fulfill the requirements, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Travel and accommodation costs incurred during the application process will not be refunded. Translations into other languages shall serve informational purposes only. 

This job offer can also be found at https://jobboerse.aau.at/job/project-researcher-predoctoral-all-genders-welcome/.