Postdoc position in ERC CoG project "CertiFOX" on trustworthy combinatorial optimization

The Declarative Languages and Artificial Intelligence (DTAI) Section of the Department of Computer Science of the KU Leuven is one of the leading research groups for artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science.
It is internationally renowned for its pioneering work on the integration of learning and reasoning, in domains such as statistical relational and neural-symbolic AI, probabilistic and inductive programming, logical and relational learning and their applications. In addition to fundamental research, the DTAI group applies the developed techniques to concrete cases situated in data science, sensors, sports analytics, combinatorial optimisation, robot manipulation and navigation, natural language processing, smart electronics, computer vision, etc. For these applications, DTAI often cooperates with other groups and companies from strategically chosen research areas.
We are looking for an excellent researcher to strengthen Bart Bogaerts' research group on Knowledge Representation and Combinatorial Optimization. Bart Bogaerts' group will join the KU Leuven (by becoming part of DTAI lab) in October 2024.
We are particularly looking for someone who can strengthen the recently-launched research line on proof logging (also known as certifying algorithms) for combinatorial optimization. In this line of research, the goal is to develop methods and algorithms that can guarantee with 100% certainty that the answers produced by a combinatorial optimizer are correct.
Recent breakthroughs in this direction have resulted in a distinguished paper award at AAAI 2022as well as a series of tutorials at major conferences (CP, IJCAI). A (short) online version of this tutorial can be found online.
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Responsibilities

Profile

Offer

• We offer a fully-funded postdoc position, initially for 12 months, but renewable and with expected duration of two or three years. 
• The position comes with a competitive salary (academic salaries in Belgium are very competitive) or an equivalent scholarship, as well as with travel budget. 
• This is a pure research position, but it also comes with the possibility to participate in advanced teaching (while this is encouraged, it is not mandatory).

More information

Bart Bogaerts
AAAI 2022 - Distinguished paper award
Project website
Seminar

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Bart Bogaerts at bart.bogaerts@vub.be. The application package should include: a curriculum vitae, with a publication list; a statement of research interest (max. 1 page); a summary of the research experience (max. 2 pages); the names and contact details of two reference persons who would be prepared to send confidential recommendation letters should they be requested to do so.

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