PhDs on Decentralized AI Agents and Multimodal Models for Health Diagnostics

Functieomschrijving

The Decentralized Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (DARL) at the Eindhoven University of Technology is seeking 2 talented and passionate Ph.D. candidates to join our team. These positions are part of the AiNed Fellowship project “Private Ears, Shared Insights” funded by the NWO. Our mission is to revolutionize the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by developing cutting-edge collaborative learning techniques that enable AI models to learn from large-scale decentralized data. Our ultimate goal is to instill self-learning capabilities in globally distributed computational devices for everyday use.

The field of AI has seen unprecedented advancements in recent years, driven by the development of foundation models that have expanded the boundaries of machine capabilities. However, learning these models requires direct access to vast data repositories, which poses significant privacy and logistical challenges, especially in the health sensing domain that involves personal data. To address this, the DARL is at the forefront of research exploring decentralized and collaborative approaches to developing unified AI systems. Our research entails the development of novel methodologies at the intersection of audio language models, self-supervised learning, data-centric machine learning, trustworthy AI, and human-machine collaboration for healthcare and high-tech industries.

We are currently seeking candidates for two PhD positions, each focusing on a cutting-edge research topic within the field of audio (and speech) understanding for health monitoring:
1) Decentralized AI Agents and 2) Small Multimodal Models.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and interdisciplinary team of researchers, collaborating with experts in AI, healthcare, and industry.

Functie-eisen

• A master's degree (or an equivalent university degree) in Computer Science, Mathematics, Machine Learning or a related technical field.
• Strong background in deep learning with a motivation to advance fundamental techniques.
• Ability to work independently and persistently tackle difficult research problems.
• Has a solid interest in pushing the frontier of one or more of the following: a) audio and speech understanding with small multimodal models, b) on-device learning, c) pre-training strategies, and d) building AI agents for complex workflows.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and software engineering skills with prior experience implementing machine learning algorithms using well-known frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Flower).
• Collaborative spirit and ability to work productively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong communication skills, including proficiency in written and spoken English (C1).

Arbeidsvoorwaarden

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months. You will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. €2,901 max. €3,707).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates. 

Informatie en sollicitatie

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. 

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact the hiring manager, dr. A. Saeed, assistant professor a.saeed@tue.nl. 

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment. You can also contact HR Services: HRServices.ID@tue.nl. 

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application

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

• Cover letter in which you a) clearly indicate the position you are applying for and b) describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references.
• Transcript of master's and bachelor's degrees.                
• Submit your MSc. thesis complete with English abstracts, and include any associated published papers in PDF format where relevant. Additionally, ensure to provide at least one English document in which you are the primary author.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.