One or more PhD Stipend in Artificial Intelligence for Autonomous Systems

The Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Materials and Production, Section of Applied Systems Research, Artificial Intelligence for Operations Research

At the Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Materials and Production one or more positions as PhD stipend in Artificial Intelligence for Autonomous Systems, within the doctoral programme Materials Science, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, is open for appointment from or soon thereafter. The position is available for a period of 3 years.

Job description     
The PhD position is part of the Artificial Intelligence for Operations Research (AI4OR) group at Aalborg University. The successful candidate will engage in cutting-edge research conducted in close collaboration with leading Danish and European companies, as well as international academic partners.

The AI4OR group addresses complex, high-impact problems requiring advanced modelling, data analysis, and algorithmic solution development. The group focuses particularly on automated decision-making in autonomous cyber-physical systems, combining mathematical optimization, machine learning, and decision theory.

Autonomous systems and intelligent decision-support solutions are transforming industry and society. However, ensuring their reliability, safety, and transparency remains a major challenge, especially in uncertain and dynamic environments. This PhD position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of trustworthy real-time autonomous systems, where decisions are adaptive, explainable, and robust.

Collaborations with industrial and public-sector partners will ensure that the research has direct practical relevance and impact. The project will explore the convergence of operations research, machine learning, and decision-making methodologies to design systems capable of functioning safely and efficiently under uncertainty.

Limited teaching within the Global Business Engineering program can be expected, as well as teaching in other study programmes at Aalborg University.  

Your competencies   
We are seeking motivated and talented candidates with a solid foundation in AI methods and mathematics, and a keen interest in developing the next generation of autonomous decision-making systems.

You should be able to use your background to develop decision-making strategies that integrate operations research techniques and AI, engineer robust and adaptive solution systems, and address challenges related to multi-agent coordination and decision-making under uncertainty.

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in creating transparent, trustworthy, and data-driven methods that improve the reliability and adaptability of autonomous systems. You are expected to disseminate your results through high-impact journals and conferences, and to collaborate actively with industrial and public partners to bridge academic research and real-world applications.

In addition, the candidate should demonstrate proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or similar.

Qualification requirements    
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree in Operations Research, Computer Science, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Engineering and Science in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

Who we are    

The AI4OR group operates at the intersection of AI / machine learning and operations research / optimization.  The group engages in both methodological development (novel algorithms, hybrid AI–OR techniques, data-driven optimization) and applied problem solving (industrial case studies, logistics, routing, maintenance planning, autonomous/mobile systems). Through close cooperation with leading academic and industry partners, the group emphasizes bridging theory and practice. The group has more than 20 full time researchers, access to state-of-the-art-facilities and strong international collaborations with world leading entities.

The Department of Materials and Production (MP) is a wide-ranging research and educational environment at Aalborg University. The Department's mission is to meet the future's demands for new materials and production systems by directing the whole value chain from basic material understanding to materials' applications in mechanical construction, industrial production, and management. The department has several strong, international, and innovative research groups that comprise everything from basic science to strategic and applied research. The activities encompass research and education within materials, mechanics, physics, production, and industrial management and innovation.

Several innovative and unconventional collaborations have been and are being developed through interdisciplinary cooperation, benefiting the industry and additional collaborators. As an employee at the department, you will become part of an international research environment focusing on innovation, knowledge sharing/building, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

The Department's activities are supported by world-class laboratories and an important part of the research being done at the department. Specifically in relation to this position we have facilities for synthesis and characterization of materials covering the range from the atomic scale in the cleanroom and materials labs to fabrication of components and devices.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor and master's degree diploma)
• Brief description (maximum 1 page) of your motivation for the project(s) (stipend(s))
• List of publications (if applicable)
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University's recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website. 

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?     
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact Senior Researcher, Søren Byg Vilsen,

Further information  
We recommend that you save a copy of the job posting, as it will be removed once the application deadline has passed.  

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Doctoral School of Engineering and Science

Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). 

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). 

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

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