PhD Positions in Theoretical Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science at LTH, Lund University invites applications for 1-2 PhD positions in theoretical computer science.

Job description

The PhD students will be working in the research group of Susanna de Rezende, in close collaboration with the MIAO research group led by Jakob Nordström. We are looking for excellent candidates interested in conducting research in computational complexity and algorithms.

At the heart of computational complexity is the quest to understand the nature of efficient computation. What makes a problem computationally hard or easy? How can we show that every algorithm that solves a certain problem must necessarily consume a large amount of resources (such as time or memory, say)? The study of the potential and limits of efficient computation is about foundational, mathematical, research, but research results in computational complexity theory have had major impact in other areas of computer science and other scientific disciplines, and have given rise to some of the most important open problems in modern mathematics.

These are four-year full-time employed positions, but PhD positions usually (though not necessarily) include 20% teaching, in which case they are prolonged for one more year. The starting date is negotiable but should ideally be during the autumn of 2024. This is a fully funded, employed position (including travel money) that come with an internationally very competitive salary.

Workplace

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. Lund Technical College (LTH) forms the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, where research of the highest international standard is conducted.

The Department of Computer Science at LTH is a partner in the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP), which is Sweden's largest ever individual research program and addresses research on artificial intelligence broadly construed, and also in the ELLIIT Excellence Centre focused on basic and applied research in information technologies.

Scientific Environment

There is a growing research group in algorithms and complexity theory at Lund University. We expect to have 8 PhD students by the autumn, in addition to three faculty, a postdoc and some MSc students working in foundations of computer science.

Lund University is located in the Öresund area, which is offering one of the strongest and most exciting environments in computational complexity research in Europe. There is extensive collaboration with the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), the IT University of Copenhagen (ITU), and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) on the other side of the Öresund Bridge. In particular, we will be collaborating with the MIAO research group, which is active at both Lund University and the University of Copenhagen. The PhD students can also look forward to interacting with the four additional faculty in complexity theory in Copenhagen, together with their students and postdocs, as well as with the algorithms group at the Basic Algorithms Research Copenhagen (BARC) centre.

Qualifications

To be eligible to apply for this position, applicants need to have or be close to obtaining either a MSc degree or a 4 or 5-year BSc degree. A suitable background is, for instance, a degree in computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, or possibly technical physics with a theoretical specialization.

The successful candidates are expected to have a strong background and passionate interest in computer science and mathematics. Problem solving skills and creativity are essential.

The working language of the group is English, and knowledge of English is also fully sufficient to navigate every-day life in Scandinavia in general.

Application

The application deadline is January 31, 2024 at midnight local time. All applications submitted before the deadline will be given equal consideration.

Applications must be submitted via the Lund University recruitment system. Please see the official advertisement at https://lu.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:687133/?lang=en for more details including a link to the application form.

The application should include the following documents:

1. Curriculum vitae.
2. Brief statement as to why the applicant wishes to conduct doctoral studies, including a description of the applicant's qualifications and interests.
3. Diploma, if already graduated, and transcripts of records (BSc and MSc).
4. If applicable, copies of the applicant's MSc thesis (or possibly BSc thesis) and any research publications.
5. Names and addresses for three references who might be contacted later in the recruitment process.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard diversity as a strength and an asset.

Further Information and Contact Details

susanna.rezendecs.lth.se.