PhD student position in Formal Methods (Reactive Synthesis)

We offer a PhD position in a team (with several postdocs and one more PhD student) supported by an ERC Consolidator grant, the Swedish Research Council (VR - Vetenskapsrådet), and WASP (Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program). The position offers an opportunity for self-development and pursuing a PhD in a full-time temporary employment, which entitles you to significant benefits.

Information about the research and the project
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering is strongly international, with approximately 270 employees from over 30 countries. The department is a shared department between the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. The position is placed in the Formal Methods unit, which is internationally recognized for its high-profile research track record and extensive network of collaborators.

The successful candidate will work on the project “Combining Path-finding Algorithms in Temporal Reactive Synthesis” financed by WASP (Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program). Reactive synthesis - automatic production of programs from high-level descriptions of their desired behavior - is emerging as a viable tool for the development of robots and reactive software. In high level, this is like telling a robot what you would like it to do and automatically planning how to do it. The project will improve the capabilities of reactive synthesis techniques through improving algorithms for the analysis of state-spaces through the combination of path finding and strategy finding. This will include both theoretical and practical contributions. More concretely, the work will include the study of temporal logic, automata, and two player games. Temporal logic is used for describing in a high level the required behavior of a program, automata are used as an algorithmic tool for manipulation of logic formulae, and two-player games enable to consider strategies and programs. We will study these formalisms, analyze their properties, devise algorithms to manipulate and translate between them, as well as implement tools that will show the applicability of the developed techniques.

WASP is Sweden's largest individual research program, and a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education, and faculty recruitment.

Major responsibilities
Your main responsibility as a PhD student is to pursue your doctoral studies within the framework of the outlined research project. You will be enrolled in a graduate program in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. You will also be part of the WASP Graduate School and will be able to take dedicated WASP courses and participate in other scientific activities provided by WASP. You are expected to develop your own ideas and communicate scientific results orally as well as in written form. In addition, the position includes 20% departmental work, usually as a teaching assistant in Chalmers' undergraduate and masters-level courses or performing other departmental tasks. You will also have to undertake 60 Higher Education Credits in courses.

Qualifications
To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's-level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in computer science, information technology, computer engineering, mathematics, physics, electrical engineering or related fields at the time of start. The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in English.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg. 
Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20210383 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as pdf-files, as below:

CV: (Please name the document: CV, Family name, Ref. number)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter: (Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, Ref. number)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Please use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. The files may be compressed (zipped).

Application deadline: 1 September, 2021

For questions, please contact:
Dr Nir Piterman, Computing Science
E-mail: piterman@chalmers.se
Phone: +46 738564910

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 
   



Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our six Areas of Advance; Energy, Health Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Materials Science, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!