With this interdisciplinary PhD project you will lay the foundations for a comprehensive theoretical framework for Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning (MDRL) in the context of algorithmic collusion. To this end, you will establish (1) theoretical and computational convergence guarantees for specific MDRL algorithms, (2) guarantees for algorithmic robustness to environmental changes and (3) average as well as worst-case performance.

The project offers collaborations across three different research groups at the University of Twente. While affiliated with the Stochastic Operations Research group, you will benefit from joint supervision, fostering synergies with the Statistics group and the Formal Methods and Tools group.

The UT and the faculty EEMCS are inclusive toward underrepresented groups and strive to increase the proportion of female staff. Female applicants are particularly welcome.

• You are an enthusiastic and highly motivated researcher
• You have, or you will shortly acquire, a Master's degree in Mathematics or Theoretical Computer Science (or a related field).
• You preferably have experience in either the mathematics of reinforcement learning or deep learning (or both).
• You have a creative mindset and excellent analytical and communication skills.
• You have a good team spirit and like to work in an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented environment.
• You are fluent in English.

• As a PhD candidate at UT, you will be appointed to a full-time position for four years, with a qualifier in the first year, within a very stimulating and exciting scientific environment;
• The University offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues;
• Your salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU);
• You will receive a gross monthly salary ranging from € 2.770,- (first year) to € 3.539,- (fourth year);
• There are excellent benefits, including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme;
• The flexibility to work (partially) from home;
• A minimum of 232 leave hours in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A full-time employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis.
• Free access to sports facilities on campus
• A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid);
• You will have a training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will determine a plan for a suitable education and supervision;
• We encourage a high degree of responsibility and independence, while collaborating with close colleagues, researchers and other staff.

The position will be in the Applied Mathematics department. The Applied Mathematics department has an active research portfolio in stochastic operations research, algorithmic discrete mathematics, complex networks, statistics, systems theory, computational science, and artificial intelligence with applications in health care, energy systems, traffic, and imaging. See MOR and SACS and MDS for information.

Our research group, Stochastic Operations Research (SOR), conducts mathematical education and research of internationally high standards in the areas of stochastic processes and mathematics of operations research to contribute to the development of mathematics in a multidisciplinary engineering environment and contribute to a better understanding and functioning of our increasingly complex society. See SOR.