The Informatics Institute (IvI) of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) invites applications for a PhD position in Surrogate Modelling for Multiscale Simulations.

In Multiscale Modelling a macroscale model is typically coupled to a few microscale models, where the microscale models are usually the ones that require very large computing resources. Examples could be coupling continuous models of materials or fluids to molecular of mesoscopic models that would capture the micro dynamics of e.g. a complex material or fluid. In this project we consider classes of multiscale models where the amount of executions of the microscale models becomes so exceedingly high that, even on the fastest supercomputers, simulation times would become prohibitive. The goal of this project is to develop advanced meta modelling techniques that would render such applications tractable. The main focus will be on two scenarios. The first is on Uncertainty Quantification of multiscale models, the second on Heterogeneous Multiscale Models (HMM).

The research will be driven forward by applications within the Computational Science Lab, mainly from the biomedical domain, and in relation to the development of the Virtual Artery. The research will be embedded within a large European collaboration called VECMA, where nine laboratories throughout Europe collaborate to enable a diverse set of multiscale applications (from fusion and advanced materials through climate and drug discovery to clinical decision making in personalized medicine) to run on current multi-petascale supercomputers such that the simulations are Validated, Verified, and equipped with Uncertainty Quantification (UQ), and which will deliver a VVUQ toolkit for multiscale computing on High Performance Computers.

VECMA is funded by the European Commission, where 9 laboratories from all over Europe collaborate. Within the Netherlands the University of Amsterdam and the Center for Mathematics and Informatics (CWI) participate in VECMA. As PhD student, you will be in the unique position to collaborate intensively with the other labs that participate within VECMA. You will have regular contacts with the Dutch partner and will be encouraged to spent part of your time in other labs within the VECMA project, e.g. in London or Munich.

You will also collaborate with the eMUSC project, a collaboration between the University of Amsterdam and the Dutch eScience center, where algorithms and libraries for UQ for multiscale applications are developed.

You should have a Master's degree in either Computational Science, Applied Mathematics, Computational (bio)Physics, Computational Biomedicine, or related disciplines. You should have relevant experience somewhere on the spectrum of topics as described above. Prior experience with surrogate modelling and/or Uncertainty Quantification is not a must, but certainly a surplus. And if this knowledge is lacking, you should have a strong drive to acquire it.

We seek a candidate able to collaborate with researchers working on other topics, thus forming a bridge between their own domain and collaborators with the larger European VECMA project. You should be able to work in an international multidisciplinary team.

You should have experience in modelling and simulation, with good knowledge of modern computing environments such as Python, C++ and experience with Linux. Experience with high performance computing is certainly preferred. As PhD candidate you should form a bridge between several communities within the project (application developers, mathematicians, computer scientists) and should therefore be capable to ‘speak their languages’. You should be able to work in an international multidisciplinary team and be willing to travel to labs all over Europe.

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of 4 years (initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it can be extended for a total duration of 48 months) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching of bachelor and master students.

Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,222 (first year) to €2,840 (last year). There are also secondary benefits, such as 8% holiday allowance per year and the end of year allowance of 8.3%. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Among other things, we offer:

• competitive pay and excellent benefits;
• extremely friendly working environment;
• high-level of interaction;
• international environment (10+ nationalities in the group);
• access to high-end computing facilities (cluster with 4,000+ cores);
• new building located near the city center (10 minutes by bicycle) of one of Europe’s most beautiful and lively cities.

Since Amsterdam is a very international city where almost everybody speaks and understands English, candidates need not be afraid of the language barrier.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

http://www.uva.nl/en/home

Informatics Institute (IvI)

The Informatics Institute (IvI) is one of the large research institutes within the Faculty of Science, with a focus on complex information systems divided into two broad themes: 'Computational Systems' and 'Intelligent Systems'. The institute has a prominent international standing and an extensive portfolio of externally funded projects. 

http://ivi.uva.nl/