PhD Vacancy in Artificial Intelligence for an Automated Lab

Research group 

IDLab Antwerp 
The Internet & Data Lab (IDLab) is an imec research group at the University of Antwerp and Ghent University. IDLab focuses its research on internet technologies and data science. IDLab is a joint research initiative between Ghent University and the University of Antwerp. Bringing together 300 internet experts, we develop technologies outperforming current solutions for communication subsystems, high speed and low power networking, distributed computing and multimedia processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence and web semantics. Within Antwerp, the overall IDLab research areas are machine learning and wireless networking.  IDLab has a unique research infrastructure used in numerous national and international collaborations.  

IDLab collaborates with many universities and research centres worldwide and jointly develops advanced technologies with industry (R&D centers from international companies, Flanders’ top innovating large companies and SME’s, as well as numerous ambitious startups). 

What you will do 

• In the context of automating a laboratory (building a model of the process, forecasting its progression, and steering it using reinforcement learning), you will conduct academic research on Machine Learning and Deep Learning techniques to build an automated laboratorium. 
• You will develop new methodologies using causal machine learning to build a model of the reaction that’s going on inside a laboratory. 
• You will develop new methodologies using reinforcement learning to determine the optimal parameters and settings of the laboratory to obtain an optimal outcome. 
• You will focus on time-series analysis to generate both short and long-term predictions of the evolution of the laboratory under a given setting. 
• You prepare a PhD dissertation on Machine Learning and Deep Learning techniques. You will be supervised by prof. Steven Latre and dr. Jannes Nys. 
• You publish and present results both at international conferences and in scientific journals. 
• You interface and collaborate on a technical level with research partners, and will deploy your model as the central brain of the automated laboratory. 

Who you are 

• You have (or will receive within a few months) a Masters of Science degree, preferably in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related fields. 
• You are fluent in python, machine-learning and deep-learning tools. 
• You are comfortable in analysing time series and irregular data, and know how to visualize data to identify difficulties in the modeling process. 
• You have a keen interest in deep learning methods, such as sequential models, temporal convolutions as well as novel methods within causal deep learning. 
• You have a keen interest in reinforcement learning. 
• You have a keen interest in bayesian deep learning methods. 
• Having published in high-ranking conferences and journals in the field is an advantage. 
• You know how to prioritize and can deliver in time. 
• You are well-organized and able to autonomously plan and execute tasks. 
• You are a team player and have strong communication skills. 
• Your English is fluent, both speaking and writing. 

Interested? 

If you are interested in this position, please apply at: https://jobs.idlab.uantwerpen.be/o/phd-vacancy-in-artificial-intelligence-for-an-automated-lab  

Questions concerning the position can also be sent to hanne.everts@uantwerpen.be.