The Informatics Institute (IvI) of the Faculty of Science invites applications for a PhD candidate in Efficient Deep Learning for weakly labelled data and High-Tech Systems, for a period of four years.

The Efficient Deep Learning (EDL) program

The EDL program combines the fields of machine learning and computing. Both disciplines are strongly represented in the Netherlands and are now connected by seven Dutch academic institutes and more than 35 other (industrial) partners in- and outside the Netherlands. The EDL program contains seven use-case driven EDL research projects: P1) DL as a service, P2) Reconstruction, matching and recognition, P3) Video analyses and surveillance, P4) High tech systems and materials, P5) Human and animal health, P6) Mobile robotics, and P7) DL platforms. The common goal for all seven EDL projects is to significantly improve the applicability of DL among others by creating data efficient training, and improving computational efficiency, both for training and inference.

The PhD position

As PhD candidate you will be part of the EDL project P4 for deep learning for high-tech systems and materials (HTSM). Partners in this project are the Dutch universities TU/e, UvA and VU, as well as Thermo Fischer, Qualcomm, the Netherlands eScience center, ASTRON and SURFsara. For this position, the main collaborating organizations will be the University of Amsterdam, TU/E and Qualcomm.

You will work as part of the Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab on deep learning methods for HTSM problems with large complex data streams. These data streams are often characterized by large volumes of unlabelled data, with only a small portion of labelled/annotated data points, and extremely unbalanced clusters. You will focus on active learning for efficient labelling strategies, as well as semi-supervised learning. Active learning for weakly labelled data can be aided by calibrated uncertainty estimates in model predictions. Improving uncertainty estimates for deep learning models will thus be a large part of the project.

We are looking for candidates whose skill set matches with (a large part of) the following profile:

• a Master's degree in artificial intelligence, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or closely related area;
• affinity with machine learning and deep learning;
• excellent programming skills (in C, C++, Python);
• excellent mathematical skills (especially in probability theory and statistics, calculus, and linear algebra);
• affinity with signal processing;
• experience with High-Performance Computing (parallel programming, networking, GPUs);
• a team player who enjoys a multicultural and interdisciplinary environment in which academic-industrial collaboration is central;
• commitment and a cooperative attitude;
• strong communication, presentation and writing skills and excellent command of English.

Preferred starting date: between October 2018 and February 2019.

The appointment will be full-time (38 hours per week) on a temporary basis for a period of 4 years (initial employment is 18 months). Periodic evaluations will be held after 9 and 14 months, and upon positive evaluation, the appointment will be extended to a total of 48 months. The appointment must lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan that includes attendance of courses, summer and/or winter schools, and national and international meetings will be drafted. We also expect you to assist in teaching of undergraduate students.

The salary is in accordance with the university regulations for academic personnel and will range from €2.266 (first year) up to a maximum of €2.897 (last year) before tax per month (scale P). 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 for Dutch Universities is applicable.

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

The mission of the Informatics Institute is to perform curiosity-driven and use-inspired fundamental research in Computer Science. Our research involves complex information systems at large, with a focus on collaborative, data driven, computational and intelligent systems, all with a strong interactive component.

The Informatics Institute has consistently been ranked among the top 100 computer science departments in the world.

This position is part of the Dutch STW Efficient Deep Learning program. The candidate will be based in the Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab (AMLab) led by Prof. Max Welling within the Informatics Institute. The research will be supervised by Prof. Max Welling, and Dr Rianne van den Berg. You will also cooperate with Prof. H. Corporaal in the Electronic Systems group at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/E). Furthermore, you will spend part of your time at Qualcomm Research Netherlands.

http://ivi.uva.nl/