PhD position in Advancing Trustworthy and Real-Time Autonomous Systems in Uncertain Environments

PhD position in Advancing Trustworthy and Real-Time Autonomous Systems in Uncertain Environments

Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Materials and Production a PhD position in the area of AI for Autonomous Systems are open for appointment from June 1st, 2025 or soon thereafter. The duration of the position is 3 years. Department of Materials and Production (MP) is a wide-ranging research and educational environment at Aalborg University. The Department's mission is to meet the future's demands for new materials and production systems by directing the whole value chain from basic material understanding, materials' applications in mechanical constructions, industrial production, and management. The department has several strong, international, and innovative research groups which comprise everything from basic science to strategic and applicable research. The activities encompass research as well as education within materials, mechanics, physics, production technique, and industrial management and innovation.

Jobbeskrivelse
The position is within the Artificial Intelligence for Operations Research(AI4OR) group at Aalborg University and the research will be conducted in highly synergic cooperation with leading Danish and European companies and international academic partners. The AI4OR group focuses on solving complex problems, which require high-level modelling, data analysis and management capabilities as well as developing solution algorithms applying mathematical and computational approaches. The group has a particular focus on automated decision making in autonomous cyber-physical systems. Autonomous systems and decision support systems will increasingly define the future. While significant strides have been made in the development of autonomous systems, their reliability and safety remain key concerns, particularly in environments characterized by uncertainty. The PhD position is in an unparalleled opportunity to contribute to creating trustworthy real-time autonomous systems. Collaborative endeavors with industrial and public partners guarantee the tangible application of the research, facilitating a substantial impact on the realm of autonomous technologies.

The PhD position will tackle these challenges by converging operational research, machine learning, and decision-making methodologies. The ultimate goal is to create real-time autonomous systems that are not only trustworthy but also adaptive in the face of unpredictable operational conditions.

The successful candidate will have a solid foundation in AI methods for predictive and/or proscriptive problems and will demonstrate the ability to use this background to:

• Develop innovative decision-making strategies that seamlessly integrate operational research techniques and machine learning algorithms.
• Engineer solution algorithms and systems that enhance the robustness, flexibility, and adaptability of autonomous systems.
• Address multi-agent operations, where interactions between agents are intricate and interconnected.
• Ensure that the develop methodologies provide transparency and trustworthiness in the decision-making processes of autonomous systems.
• Disseminate research findings through academic journals and conferences. Collaborate with industrial and public partners to apply research outcomes in practical applications, bridging the gap between academia and industry.

The Ph.D. candidate is expected to have:

• Bachelor's and Master's degrees(or equivalent) in Operations Research, Computer Science, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, or related fields.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or other programming languages.
• Familiarity with multi-agent systems, probability theory, and combinatorial optimization.
• Experience in decision-making under uncertainty and autonomous system operation.
• High level written and spoken English skills.

You may obtain further information from Professor, Peter Nielsen, Department of Materials and Production, peter@mp.aau.dk,concerning the scientific aspects of the stipend.

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Engineering and Science in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.
When the hiring process is completed, a final rejection will be sent to the applicants who are not considered for the position.

For further information about stipends and salary as well as practical issues concerning the application procedure contact Ms. Helle S. Thomsen, The Doctoral School at The Faculty of Engineering and Science, email: hellest@adm.aau.dk

For more information of The Doctoral School of Engineering and Science: www.phd.engineering.aau.dk

The application is only to be submitted online by using the "Apply online" button below.

AAU wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background or belief.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Løn og ansættelsesvilkår
Appointment and salary as a PhD fellow are according to the Ministry of Finance Circular of 15 December 2021 on the Collective Agreement for Academics in Denmark, Appendix 5, regarding PhD fellows, and with the current Circular of 11 December 2019 on the employment structure at Danish universities.

Ansøgningsfrist
2025-04-15

Ref. nummer
915-25033