Up to two PhD positions
Chalmers Tekniska Högskola AB / Högskolejobb / Göteborg
2025-06-30
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hela Sverige Visa alla jobb hos Chalmers Tekniska Högskola AB i Göteborg Up to two PhD positions at the intersection of Formal Verification and Planning
What if you could design systems that not only follow instructions - but understand intent and guarantee correct behavior over time?
We are looking for up to two PhD students who want to explore the interface between formal verification and automated planning. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to safer, more intelligent systems through a combination of theoretical work and practical implementation.
About the project
Reactive synthesis refers to the automatic generation of programs from high-level behavioral specifications. This approach plays an increasingly important role in areas such as reinforcement learning, robotics, and the development of reactive software systems. It enables the creation of robust, reliable programs by specifying what a system should do, while automatically deriving how it should do it - with high assurance.
Our project aims to integrate Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) and the Planning Domain Definition Language (PDDL) to build a more expressive and efficient framework for reactive synthesis. This allows us to describe dynamic behaviors in complex environments over time.
You will work with formal tools such as:
• Planning domains and temporal logic - to describe the required behavior of programs at a high level.
• Automata theory - to manipulate logical formulas and domain representations.
• Two-player games - to reason about strategies and synthesized programs.
The work involves theoretical research, algorithm design, and the development of software tools that demonstrate the applicability of the new methods.
Research environment
The positions are hosted by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), a joint department between Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg. With around 300 employees representing over 50 nationalities, CSE offers an international and collaborative research environment.
You will be part of the Computing Science Division, which focuses on the development of secure, trustworthy software and systems - from theoretical foundations to the design and implementation of tools and programming languages. The division maintains strong interdisciplinary ties both within Chalmers and with industry partners.
The appointed candidates will also join a vibrant community of over 140 PhD students at CSE. Your main supervisor will be Prof. Nir Piterman, with support from a co-supervisor and an examiner. Supervision is structured to guide your academic development, with regular evaluations to support your progress.
Equality and inclusion
Chalmers is committed to creating and supporting an inclusive and diverse research environment. We especially encourage women and other underrepresented groups in computer science and engineering to apply.
Our department is part of GENIE - Gender Initiative for Excellence, a long-term university-wide effort to advance gender equality in academia through structural change and dedicated support.
WASP and the graduate school
These positions are funded by the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP). WASP is Sweden's largest individual research program ever, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education and faculty recruitment. The program addresses research on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems-of-systems. The vision of WASP is excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software for the benefit of Swedish society and industry.
The graduate school within WASP is dedicated to provide the skills needed to analyze, develop, and contribute to the interdisciplinary area of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software. Through an ambitious program with research visits, partner universities, and visiting lecturers, the graduate school actively supports forming a strong multi-disciplinary and international professional network between PhD-students, researchers and industry.
Duties and responsibilities
As a PhD student, your main responsibility is to conduct high-quality research and develop the skills necessary for an academic or industry research career. This includes:
• Conducting original research in formal methods and automated planning.
• Reading and reviewing scientific literature.
• Writing and publishing academic papers.
• Presenting your work at conferences and seminars.
• Taking doctoral courses that complement your background.
• Participating in collaborative research within the department and through WASP.
You will also contribute to the department by assisting in teaching activities, which make up approximately 20% of your working time.
Qualifications
To be eligible for a PhD position, you must:
• Hold, by the starting date, a Master's-level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in Computer Science and Engineering or a related area.
We also consider strong applications from candidates with a 4-year Bachelor's degree.
Preferred qualifications include:
• Previous experience in formal verification, logic, or planning.
• Solid mathematical foundations in theoretical computer science.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
Contract terms
Full-time employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.
What we offer
• Full-time employment with a starting salary of 34,550 SEK per month (valid from May 25, 2025) and full social benefits (e.g., parental leave, sick leave). Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.
• No tuition fees for PhD studies at Chalmers.
• 80% of your time dedicated to research and 20% to departmental duties, such as teaching assistantship. These duties can be scheduled flexibly over the year.
• Supportive, inclusive, and equality-focused work culture.
• Opportunities for national and international collaboration.
Application process
For more information and to apply, please go to:
https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=14087Application deadline: 2025-08-15
Ersättning Enligt kollektivavtal
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Arbetsgivare Chalmers Tekniska Högskola AB (org.nr 556479-5598)
Jobbnummer 9410204