Job description
We are offering a fully funded 4-year PhD position in systems and control theory at the University of Groningen.
The increasing complexity and ever-tighter performance requirements on systems such as occurring in high-tech manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, and smart energy poses many challenges to the current status of control theory. Namely, existing control methods do not scale with the increased size and heterogeneity of such systems, which typically comprise a large number of distinct but interacting components.
To address these challenges, this project aims to contribute to the development of a control theory that is inherently modular, i.e., that allows for considering components independently. Inspired by so-called contract theories from computer science, such modular control theory will be based on the introduction of assume-guarantee contracts for control systems. These contracts have two desired features: they should i) be capable of expressing rich specifications; and ii) come equipped with a theory of compositional analysis that allows for translating component-level specifications to system-level specifications.
This PhD position will focus on the use of contracts for verification, i.e., aimed at guaranteeing system-level properties on the basis of component properties. The position is part of the recent large project “Contracts for Control System Design”, funded by the European Research Council. As such, the PhD candidate will be part of a team at the University of Groningen working on the topic of contract-based modular control systems design. International collaboration, including attendance of conferences, will be facilitated and stimulated.
The objective of the PhD project is research that will lead to the production of a number of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and conference proceedings. Together, these will form the basis of a thesis leading to a PhD degree (Dr) at the University of Groningen.
Organisation
Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 34,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.
Within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, a 4-years PhD position is available at the Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence with the topic of modular control system design using assume-guarantee contracts. The candidate would become a member of the Systems, Control, and Optimization group of the (Applied) Mathematics Department and will work under the supervision of Prof. Bart Besselink.
Requirements
The successful candidate should
- Have a keen interest in pursuing fundamental research in systems and control theory.
- Have a recent Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or another relevant field, with specialization in systems and control theory.
- Have a strong background in mathematics and good analytical skills.
- Have good communication and writing skills in English, a positive attitude, and an interest in collaborating with fellow PhD students, postdocs, and PIs.
Conditions of employment
Fixed-term contract: 48 months.
We offer you, following the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities
- A salary of € 2,901 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,707 gross per month in the fourth and final year for a full-time working week.
- A holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
- A full-time position (1.0 FTE). The successful candidate will first be offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another three years. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next three years is to be expected. A PhD training programme is part of the agreement and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Science and Engineering.
- Teaching: employed PhD candidates are expected to spend 10% of their working hours on teaching and/or supervising candidates.
Application procedure
Application should include
- A letter of motivation for the position.
- CV (including contact information for at least two academic references).
- Transcripts from your bachelor’s and master’s degree.
You can submit your application until 20 April 11:59pm / before 21 April 2025 Dutch local time (CET) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).
Applications received before 21 April 2025 will be given full consideration; however, the position will remain open until it is filled.
The intended starting date will be decided in agreement with the candidate, but is preferably between 1 September 2025 and 1 December 2025.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our University. We are committed to building a diverse faculty so you are encouraged to apply. Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP), http://nvp-plaza.nl/download/?id=7714 and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers, https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/charter/code
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