PhD position Surrogate modeling and Machine Learning for science and engineering

IDLab, Ghent University - imec, Belgium

IDLab is a core research group of imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, with research activities at Ghent University. IDLab performs fundamental and applied research on data science and internet technology, and is, with over 300 researchers, one of the larger research groups at imec. Our major research areas are machine learning and data mining; semantic intelligence; multimedia processing; distributed intelligence for IoT; cloud and big data infrastructures; wireless and fixed networking; electromagnetics, RF and high-speed circuits and systems.

What will you do

The activities of the Ph.D. position are embedded in this stimulating environment with a focus on data-efficient machine learning (or surrogate modeling) techniques to solve complex problems in science and engineering. The proposed Ph.D. research is defined within the context of several national and international research projects on Automation in Machine Learning (AutoML).
As a Ph.D. candidate, you will extend and use machine learning algorithms such as generative models, neural networks, Gaussian Processes, Bayesian optimization, and more to solve challenging problems in science and engineering. You will take part in the daily operation of the research group and participate in collaborative research with industrial and academic partners. Furthermore, you will publish your research results at major international conferences and in journal papers, as part of meeting the requirements for your Ph.D.

For more information on the research see https://sumo.intec.ugent.be/home

What we do for you

We offer the opportunity to do full-time research in an international (with over 17 nationalities at IDLab - imec) and a friendly working environment, with a competitive salary. 

• Type of contract: Phd Scholarship (Full-time)
• Employment: 4 years, with an intermediate evaluation the first year (1+3 years)

Who you are

We are looking for highly creative and motivated Ph.D. students with the following qualifications and skills.

• You have (or will obtain in the next months) a (European) master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or equivalent, with excellent ('honors'-level) grades.
• You have a strong background in machine learning and are eager to advance the state-of-the-art. 
• You have excellent computer science skills (python, git, etc.)
• Experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch or Tensorflow is considered a plus.
• You have analytical skills to interpret the obtained research results.
• You are a team player and have strong communication skills.
• Your English is fluent, both speaking and writing.

Interested?

Send your application by email or any questions concerning this vacancy to prof. Tom Dhaene (tom.dhaene@UGent.be) and prof. Ivo Couckuyt (ivo.couckuyt@ugent.be), indicating “Job Application: ML4ENG” in the subject. Applications should include (1) an academic/professional resume, (2) a personal motivation letter, and (3) transcripts of study results, and (4) at least two reference contacts. After a first screening, selected candidates will be invited for an interview (also possible via Teams).

Application deadline: continuous evaluation until the vacancy is filled.