PostDoc in Formal Analysis of Autonomous Systems

Our group is looking for candidates interested in conducting independent research in the area of formal analysis of learning-enabled autonomous systems. Autonomous Systems (AS) have great potential to improve our ways of life, increasing mobility, cutting costs, and saving lives. Considering the complexity of the environments these systems operate in, AS increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to perform a variety of challenging decision-making tasks. Machine learning (ML) has been the driving force in addressing many of the challenges, especially in complex tasks such as perception, planning, and control. The use of ML in autonomous systems is projected to grow but with it also the concern of using ML models in safety-critical applications. While indispensable for autonomy, ML models can be brittle; unanticipated changes in the environment may cause a neural network to produce faulty outcomes that could endanger the safety of the system. This raises the question of how we need to adapt the development process to build safe and reliable learning-enabled AS.

The candidate will work on developing a new generation of design and verification techniques, rooted in formal methods, to enable and support the development of assured AS. Topics of interest are (but are not limited to): compositional contract-based design, specification formalism for expressing properties of ML-based models, runtime verification under uncertainty, and explainability of AI/ML-based models.

Information about the division and the department
The Group for Safe and Trustworthy Autonomous Reasoning (STAR) is part of the Computing Science (CS) division in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). Led by Dr. Hazem Torfah, the group works at the intersection of cyber-physical systems, formal methods, and artificial intelligence. The goal of the group is to develop theoretical foundations and techniques for the construction of safe, reliable, and secure autonomous cyber-physical systems.
We are currently focused on developing methods and tools for: runtime assurance, the development of runtime monitoring approaches for the safe operation of ACPS; explainability, methods for synthesizing interpretations for learning-enabled components; specification, the design of specification languages for capturing properties of ML-based systems. We are particularly interested in the application domains of autonomous driving and aviation and interact closely with leading international academic and industrial groups working in these fields. In STAR we seek to create a vibrant and collaborative environment where students and postdocs are supported in their pursuit of challenging research questions.

The CSE department is a joint department at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg, with activities on two campuses in the city of Gothenburg. The department is divided into four divisions, and employs around 270 people from over 30 countries. Research in the department has a wide span, from theoretical foundations to applied systems development. We provide high quality education at the Bachelor's, Master's and graduate levels, offering over 120 courses each year. We also have extensive national and international collaborations with academia, industry and society.

Our aim is to actively improve our gender balance in both our department and division. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers. As an employee of Chalmers and the CSE department, students are given the opportunity to contribute to our active work within the field of equality and diversity.

Major responsibilities
This postdoc position is a full-time temporary employment for two years. As a Postdoctoral researcher your main responsibility is to lead a research project in collaboration with the project PIs and drive its implementation (80%). The selected candidate will also mentor and co-supervise junior researchers and teach on a graduate level (20%).

The research entails developing and implementing scientific ideas, establishing research collaborations, communicating your results orally or in written form via scientific venues, including in journals and at conferences.

Qualifications
The candidate must hold a doctoral degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or other related disciplines, awarded no more than three years prior to the application deadline (according to the current agreement with the Swedish Agency for Government Employers). The candidate should have a good track-record of publications. Experience in at least one of the following fields of research: cyber-physical systems, formal methods, data science, or artificial intelligence.

Finally, the selected candidate will have excellent writing and speaking of English. Knowledge of Swedish is not a prerequisite for consideration.

Contract terms
This postdoc position is a full-time temporary employment for three 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


Please click on this link to apply and see instructions for the applcation procedure.