Two Postdoc positions: LLMs in Software Engineering

Job description

We seek for two postdoctoral researchers to join the Data and AI https://dai.win.tue.nl/ and Software Engineering and Technology https://set.win.tue.nl/ clusters for a two-year project on use of LLMs in software development at ASML, a world-leading supplier to the semiconductor industry.  One position will focus on foundations and development of domain and task specific LLMs and their rigorous evaluation. The other position will focus on the application of generative AI techniques in the domain of software engineering, particularly, when it comes to software architecture support and technical debt reduction. It is expected that the postdocs will closely collaborate working together on use cases and will spend about half time at TU/e and half time at ASML (situated also in Eindhoven). Working from home one day a week is allowed. 

The postdoctoral researcher joining the Data and AI cluster will work primarily on developing a task-specific LLM evaluation (including self-audit and performance profiling) and task-specific LMM fine-tuning frameworks. The postdoctoral researcher joining the Software Engineering and Technology cluster will focus on applying generative AI methods to software architecture and technical debt use cases. The work produced by both researchers should be framed in the context of real ASML use cases of software (re)engineering projects.

On the AI side, there will be immediate opportunities for collaboration with research group leaders: Mykola Pechenizkiy (Safe AI), Cassio de Campos (Uncertainty in AI), George Fletcher (Graph data management), Joaquin Vanschoren (autoML), and Jakub Tomczak (Generative AI) and their teams within the Data and AI cluster, known for studying foundational issues of AI robustness, reliability, tractability, scalability, interpretability and explainability. 

On the Software Engineering research side, your main point of contact will be Lina Ochoa Venegas and Mark van den Brand (both from Software Engineering and Technology). There will be opportunities to work with other researchers like Michel Chaudron (software architecture), Alexander Serebrenik (human aspects in software engineering), and Anton Wijs (parallel software development) within the cluster when analysing the use cases.

On the ASML side, you will collaborate with Alok Lele and use case owners from the IT. The initial use cases being considered are:

• Technical debt: In the software engineering practice, the generation of added value to customers guides the implementation and maintenance roadmaps. When certain tasks are put on hold to address other urgent matters, technical debt emerges. Technical debt is a liability that results in acquired costs due to choosing a limited approach instead of a robust solution. We aim at identifying and resolving a part of a company's technical debt by using generative AI to refactor the compromised parts of the system.
• Architecture conformance check: The architecture of a system evolves as its implementation does. Verifying that the main design decisions and principles are still being fulfilled in the system is crucial to favor relevant quality attributes. We aim to use the power of Generative AI to identify higher-level components from source code and evaluate if and how the architecture of a system has drifted away from the allowed guidelines.

Job requirements

We look for a motivated and highly skilled candidate with:

• A PhD degree in AI/ML/NLP preferably with focus on generative AI and LLMs or a PhD degree in application of AI in Software Engineering.
• Excellent track-record demonstrated by high-quality scientific papers.
• Strong mathematical, analytical, and programming skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Creativity, independence, and dedication to advancing science.
• Ability and will to collaborate and work in teams and to coordinate/manage research.
• Ability to (co-)supervise MSc thesis students and interns involved in the project.
• Availability to start soon; the positions are available immediately.

Conditions of employment

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university and in tight collaboration with its strategic industrial partner. We offer you:

• Full-time employment for max. 2 years.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. € 3.877 max. € 5.090 depending on qualifications and years of experience).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A TU/e Postdoc Association that helps you to build a stronger and broader academic and personal network, and offers tailored support, training and workshops.
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as are a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) and a compensation for moving expenses.

Information and application

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow. 

ASML is a high-tech company - headquartered in Europe’s top tech hub, the Brainport Eindhoven region in the Netherlands. ASML leads the worldwide development, production and sales of high-end lithography systems for the semiconductor industry. ASML makes the machines that make computer chips, or integrated circuits. The company builds some of the most amazing, complex machines – and the software to run them – to develop smaller, faster, and still more affordable chips. It is because of these machines that the world’s technology has steadily evolved.

Behind ASML’s innovations are engineers who think ahead. The people who work at the company include some of the most creative minds in physics, electrical engineering, mathematics, chemistry, mechatronics, optics, mechanical engineering, computer science, and fields which are not technical oriented.

As ASML puts it: “We believe we can always do better. We love what we do – not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.”

You can visit our website for more information about the application process and the conditions of employment or contact our HR at HRServices.MCS@tue.nl or +31 40 247 4315. For any further inquiries on the content of the position, please contact Mykola Pechenizkiy (m.pechenizkiy@tue.nl).

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application using the apply-button.
The application should include a:

• CV, including education history, relevant courses and theses, research experience, list of publications, and other research output.
• Motivation letter including short description of your 3 most important outputs (publications, software, etc) (max. 1 page).
• Research statement, including research experience and interests, and a short outline of future research directions (max. 2 pages).
• Contact details of 2-3 referees.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen and process it as soon as possible. The vacancy may close at any time if the positions are filled.