ERC-funded PhD Position in Artificial Intelligence at IT University of Copenhagen

The IT University of Copenhagen invites highly motivated individuals to apply for a ERC-funded PhD position starting as soon as possible and latest January 1st 2025.

We invite applicants who want to contribute to the IT University’s vision of creating and sharing knowledge that is profound and leads to groundbreaking information technology and services for the benefit of humanity, and who want to contribute to Digital Design’s research strategy.

Job description
The positions are funded as part of the GROW-AI project, a 5-year European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant awarded to Sebastian Risi. The PhD position is a full-time position for 3 years (starting from an MSc or equivalent) or 4 years (starting from a BSc).

The project: Growing Machines Capable of Rapid Learning in Unknown Environments
Despite major advances in the field of artificial intelligence, especially in the field of neural networks, these systems still pale in comparison to even simple biological intelligence. Current machine learning systems take many trials to learn, lack common-sense, and often fail even if the environment only changes slightly.

In stark contrast to current neural networks, whose architectures are designed by human experts and whose large number of parameters are optimized directly, evolution does not operate directly on the parameters of biological nervous systems. Instead, these nervous systems are grown and self- organize through a much smaller genetic program that produces rich behavioral capabilities right from birth and the ability to rapidly learn.

Neuroscience suggests this “genomic bottleneck” is an important regularizing constraint, allowing animals to generalize to new situations. The goal in GROW-AI is to learn such genomic bottleneck algorithms, and in addition, co-optimize task generators that provide the agents with the most effective learning environments.

Taking inspiration from the fields of artificial life, neurobiology, and machine learning, we will investigate if algorithmic growth is needed to understand and create intelligence

The candidate should have experience in some of the following topics:

• Deep RL / meta-learning / continual learning
• Neuroevolution / evolutionary algorithms
• Indirect encodings such as Hypernetworks
• Neurobiology / systems neuroscience / neurogenetics
• Evolutionary developmental biology
• Procedural content generation

Research environment
The candidate will work together with Sebastian Risi (sebastianrisi.com) and join the Robotics, Evolution, and Art Lab (REAL) (real.itu.dk).

Our aim is to build a diverse team. All applications are welcome, especially those from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged.

General information
The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The IT University has more than 160 full-time Faculty members. Research and teaching in information technology span all academic activities which involve computers including computer science, information and media sciences, humanities and social sciences, business impact and the commercialization of IT.

About the Digital Design Department
Digital Design is organized in three sections; Design Research, Play, Culture and AI, and Digital Societies and Participation. The sections serve as the organizational framework for the department's research which is further divided into several research groups, labs, and a research center. We offer a BSc and MSc in Digital Design and Interactive Technologies and a MSc in Games. Our research and teaching approaches are based on diversity, inclusiveness interdisciplinarity and collaboration.

Working at the IT University
Located in modern architecture, a 6-minute metro ride from the center of Copenhagen, the IT University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, ambitious, competent, and diverse international faculty, with PhD degrees from 17 different countries. The IT University is an equal opportunity employer and prides itself in actively and successfully pursuing an improved gender balance among students and among faculty.

Working in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a solid educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and well-functioning infrastructure. Copenhagen is among the world’s most livable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Living and working in Copenhagen will be a good experience for you and your family.

Salary and terms of employment
Appointment and salary will be in accordance with the Ministry of Taxation’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and job structure for academic staff at Universities.

Qualification Requirements
The following qualifications are required:

• 3 year programme: candidates should have a MSc (or equivalent)
• 4 year programme: candidates should have a BSc and one year of university studies on Master level

The applicants will be employed and enrolled at the ITU University for a period of 3 or 4 years depending on the university degree level of the applicant.

Application
The application and all other documents ought to be in English and must include:

• A motivated application (cover letter), including a detailed description of your qualifications
• A statement of purpose, which provides evidence of independent thinking, novelty and originality, of the targeted research field matching the project description
• A full CV, including name, address, phone number, e-mail, previous and present employment and academic background
• Documentation of academic degrees (copy of degree certificates etc.)
• Relevant scientific publication or/and master thesis written by the applicant

Applications without the above-mentioned required documents will not be assessed.

The applicant will be accessed according to the Appointment Order from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of 13 March 2012.

The IT University may use shortlisting in connection to the recruitment process. In case of shortlisting, the Chair of the hiring committee selects applicants for assessment in consultation with the hiring committee after the application deadline. All applicants are notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The shortlisting of candidates for assessment is based on the criteria in the job posting.

Further information
Questions about the positions can be directed to Professor Sebastian Risi, IT University of Copenhagen, e-mail: [email protected]. Early contact with our faculty staff is encouraged.
Questions related to the application procedure may be directed to HR, [email protected].

Application procedure
You can only apply for this position through our e-recruitment system. Apply by pressing the button "Apply for position" in the job announcement on our website.
Please read the guidelines for applicants carefully before filling in the application form. You can see the guidelines through this link.

The IT University might upon request in the interview process contact 1-2 references.

Please note that all application material will be destroyed after the assessment.

Application deadline: 1 October 2024at 23:59 CEST.
Applications/enclosures received at ITU after the application deadline will not be taken into consideration. If you submit an application, it is your responsibility to ensure that it arrives before the deadline so please allow sufficient time for upload of publications and other documents.

At IT University we have an international environment and view diversity as a valuable resource. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive working environment for all our employees and encourage all qualified applicants, regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation, or ethnic background to apply for the position.

The IT University of Copenhagen invites highly motivated individuals to apply for a ERC-funded PhD position starting as soon as possible and latest January 1st 2025.

We invite applicants who want to contribute to the IT University’s vision of creating and sharing knowledge that is profound and leads to groundbreaking information technology and services for the benefit of humanity, and who want to contribute to Digital Design’s research strategy.

Job description
The positions are funded as part of the GROW-AI project, a 5-year European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant awarded to Sebastian Risi. The PhD position is a full-time position for 3 years (starting from an MSc or equivalent) or 4 years (starting from a BSc).

The project: Growing Machines Capable of Rapid Learning in Unknown Environments
Despite major advances in the field of artificial intelligence, especially in the field of neural networks, these systems still pale in comparison to even simple biological intelligence. Current machine learning systems take many trials to learn, lack common-sense, and often fail even if the environment only changes slightly.

In stark contrast to current neural networks, whose architectures are designed by human experts and whose large number of parameters are optimized directly, evolution does not operate directly on the parameters of biological nervous systems. Instead, these nervous systems are grown and self- organize through a much smaller genetic program that produces rich behavioral capabilities right from birth and the ability to rapidly learn.

Neuroscience suggests this “genomic bottleneck” is an important regularizing constraint, allowing animals to generalize to new situations. The goal in GROW-AI is to learn such genomic bottleneck algorithms, and in addition, co-optimize task generators that provide the agents with the most effective learning environments.

Taking inspiration from the fields of artificial life, neurobiology, and machine learning, we will investigate if algorithmic growth is needed to understand and create intelligence

The candidate should have experience in some of the following topics:

• Deep RL / meta-learning / continual learning
• Neuroevolution / evolutionary algorithms
• Indirect encodings such as Hypernetworks
• Neurobiology / systems neuroscience / neurogenetics
• Evolutionary developmental biology
• Procedural content generation

Research environment
The candidate will work together with Sebastian Risi (sebastianrisi.com) and join the Robotics, Evolution, and Art Lab (REAL) (real.itu.dk).

Our aim is to build a diverse team. All applications are welcome, especially those from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged.

General information
The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The IT University has more than 160 full-time Faculty members. Research and teaching in information technology span all academic activities which involve computers including computer science, information and media sciences, humanities and social sciences, business impact and the commercialization of IT.

About the Digital Design Department
Digital Design is organized in three sections; Design Research, Play, Culture and AI, and Digital Societies and Participation. The sections serve as the organizational framework for the department's research which is further divided into several research groups, labs, and a research center. We offer a BSc and MSc in Digital Design and Interactive Technologies and a MSc in Games. Our research and teaching approaches are based on diversity, inclusiveness interdisciplinarity and collaboration.

Working at the IT University
Located in modern architecture, a 6-minute metro ride from the center of Copenhagen, the IT University offers an informal working environment, a varied everyday life, and a highly motivated, ambitious, competent, and diverse international faculty, with PhD degrees from 17 different countries. The IT University is an equal opportunity employer and prides itself in actively and successfully pursuing an improved gender balance among students and among faculty.

Working in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a solid educational system, a rich cultural life, universal healthcare, good childcare, and well-functioning infrastructure. Copenhagen is among the world’s most livable cities according to the Economist Global Liveability Index. Living and working in Copenhagen will be a good experience for you and your family.

Salary and terms of employment
Appointment and salary will be in accordance with the Ministry of Taxation’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and job structure for academic staff at Universities.

Qualification Requirements
The following qualifications are required:

• 3 year programme: candidates should have a MSc (or equivalent)
• 4 year programme: candidates should have a BSc and one year of university studies on Master level

The applicants will be employed and enrolled at the ITU University for a period of 3 or 4 years depending on the university degree level of the applicant.

Application
The application and all other documents ought to be in English and must include:

• A motivated application (cover letter), including a detailed description of your qualifications
• A statement of purpose, which provides evidence of independent thinking, novelty and originality, of the targeted research field matching the project description
• A full CV, including name, address, phone number, e-mail, previous and present employment and academic background
• Documentation of academic degrees (copy of degree certificates etc.)
• Relevant scientific publication or/and master thesis written by the applicant

Applications without the above-mentioned required documents will not be assessed.

The applicant will be accessed according to the Appointment Order from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of 13 March 2012.

The IT University may use shortlisting in connection to the recruitment process. In case of shortlisting, the Chair of the hiring committee selects applicants for assessment in consultation with the hiring committee after the application deadline. All applicants are notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The shortlisting of candidates for assessment is based on the criteria in the job posting.

Further information
Questions about the positions can be directed to Professor Sebastian Risi, IT University of Copenhagen, e-mail: [email protected]. Early contact with our faculty staff is encouraged.
Questions related to the application procedure may be directed to HR, [email protected].

Application procedure
You can only apply for this position through our e-recruitment system. Apply by pressing the button "Apply for position" in the job announcement on our website.
Please read the guidelines for applicants carefully before filling in the application form. You can see the guidelines through this link.

The IT University might upon request in the interview process contact 1-2 references.

Please note that all application material will be destroyed after the assessment.

Application deadline: 1 October 2024at 23:59 CEST.
Applications/enclosures received at ITU after the application deadline will not be taken into consideration. If you submit an application, it is your responsibility to ensure that it arrives before the deadline so please allow sufficient time for upload of publications and other documents.

At IT University we have an international environment and view diversity as a valuable resource. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive working environment for all our employees and encourage all qualified applicants, regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation, or ethnic background to apply for the position.

Department: Rued Langgaards Vej 7, København S

Location: Rued Langgaards Vej 7

Application deadline: 01 Oct 2024