Postdoctoral Researcher Anomaly Detection for High-Tech Systems

Project description
The development of reliable and agile digital twins of high-tech systems is key to enabling shorter time-to-market, zero-defect, and flexible manufacturing systems with accurate and timely predictive maintenance. This crucial development is hampered by the lack of synergy between model-based engineering and data-driven/artificial intelligence approaches. The DIGITAL TWIN programme aims to integrate data-driven learning approaches and model-based engineering methods.
The researcher will develop anomaly detection methods for high-tech manufacturing systems, ideally combining techniques from data-driven (machine) learning and model-based engineering. The developed methods will be used together with other machine learning methods to gain insights from high-tech manufacturing systems. The primary use case will be the HIsarna low-footprint steel making process, at the HIsarna pilot plant at Tata Steel IJmuiden. The HIsarna process is still under development and not yet fully understood; in hindsight we can discover trends from data that predict events that we would have liked to avoid. Anomaly detection can probably help identify strong process deviations and give early warnings that something is different from usual.
The NWO AES Perspectief programme DIGITAL TWIN is a comprehensive, five-year research programme on the development of digital twin and digital twinning methods, financed by the domain of Applied and Engineering Sciences (AES) of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). This collaborative programme involves six universities, i.e., University of Groningen, Eindhoven University of Technology, TU Delft, University of Twente, Leiden University, and Tilburg University, and twelve industrial partners.
The researcher will be embedded in the Explanatory Data Analysis group at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science. More information about the group can be found at https://eda.liacs.nl/

Key responsibilities

• Conduct original research in the field of anomaly detection;
• Apply anomaly detection and other forms of machine learning to use cases, in collaboration with industrial partners;
• Actively participate and collaborate in national DIGITAL TWIN consortium;
• Publish and present scientific articles at international journals and conferences;

Terms and conditions
We offer a full-time 1-year position. Salary ranges from € 3.226,- to € 5.090,- gross per month for a full-time position as postdoc (pay scale 10 in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Work-life balance
Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups. We wish to reflect society both in age, gender and culture, as we believe that this would optimize the dynamics in our organization. Therefore, we support and understand the need for a work/life/family balance and consequent varying working hours and places. In the Netherlands, a maternity allowance is standard for 16 weeks. Childcare is available at and near the Bio Science Park.

Research at our faculty
The Faculty of Science is a world-class faculty where staff and students work together in a dynamic international environment. Our people are driven by curiosity to expand fundamental knowledge and to look beyond the borders of their own discipline. The research carried out at the Faculty of Science is diverse, ranging from mathematics, artificial intelligence, computer science, astronomy, physics, chemistry and bio-pharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences. The faculty has grown strongly in recent years and now has more than 1,300 staff and almost 4,000 students. We are located at the heart of Leiden's Bio Science Park, one of Europe's biggest science parks, where university and business life come together. For more information, see https://www.science.leidenuniv.nl.

The Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) is the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Institute in the Faculty of Science of Leiden University. We offer courses at the Bachelor and Master of Science level in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, ICT in Business, Media Technology, and Bioinformatics. According to an independent research visitation, we are one of the foremost computer science departments of the Netherlands. We strive for excellence in a caring institute, where excellence, fun, and diversity go hand in hand. We offer a clear and inviting career path to young and talented scientists with the ambition to grow. For more information about LIACS, see https://www.cs.leiden.edu