PhD Position in Embedded AI Systems

SDU Mechatronics and the Centre of Industrial Mechanics, part of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark in Sønderborg, invites applications for a research position as PhD in embedded AI systems. Starting date is negotiable, preferably 2nd quarter of 2025.

The application deadline is January 31, 2025, at 11.59 PM / 23.59 (CET/CEST)  

Workplace description

The Department of Mechanical and Electrical engineering covers research and education spanning from fundamentals to applications of engineering science. All our courses are taught in English reflecting the fact that more than half our students and staff are internationals. The Centre for Industrial Mechanics is located at SDU's beautiful campus in Sønderborg, in the inspiring building of Alsion, which is a center for science, culture and learning in the heart of Sønderborg and perched on the strait of water separating the island of Als from the mainland. The university has very close relations to the industry in Sønderborg, Southern Denmark and Northern Germany. A significant fraction of the projects in the center are conducted in close cooperation with the industry, which count world leading companies in growing fields such as e-mobility, automation, climate solutions and energy efficiency.

At the Centre for Industrial Mechanics, research, education, and innovation are performed in teams of scientists and support staff with competences spanning a wide range of fields including applied cyber-physical systems, artificial intelligence, embedded computing, mechanical structure integrity and life assessment, heating and cooling, renewable energy systems, and modelling and mechatronic prototyping.

The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate his/her ambition to conduct high-quality research, present the results at international conferences, and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. We expect the candidate to take part in select teaching activities.

Project Description

Candidate Profile:

To complement our team, we are looking for a PhD candidate researcher in additive with experience in two or more of the following fields:

• Embedded Computing
• AI on Chip and Edge AI
• Gen-AI and Large Language Model
• Low Precision Artificial Intelligence 
• Quantized LLM
• Machine Learning for Embedded Hardware/Software architecture  

The candidate is expected to collaborate with industrial partners and other universities (national and international), perform research work on externally funded projects, as well as be involved with on-site manufacturing facilities and testing laboratories.

Contact information

For further information, please visit www.sdu.dk/dme and https://www.sdu.dk/mechatronics and contact Associate Professor Benaoumeur Senouci, Head of Embedded AI research team, tel. +45 65 50 84 29, e-mail: [email protected] or Associate Professor Lars Duggen, Head of Centre for Industrial Mechanics, tel. +45 6550 1640, email: [email protected].

Conditions of employment

Appointment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position. 

The monthly gross salary incl. pension is 35.707DKR. If you have relevant postgraduate experience, you may be placed on a higher salary step.   

Applicants must hold a master’s degree (equivalent to a Danish master's degree) at the time of enrollment and employment. Employment of a PhD fellow can only happen after the PhD School has approved the candidate for admission.  

Employment as a PhD fellow governed by the Protocol on PhD Research Fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information about salary and conditions of employment.  

The successful candidate will be enrolled at SDU in accordance with Faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order). 

Assessment and selection process 

Read about the Assessment and selection process.  

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee or an expert. Shortlisting may be applied. Only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU.  

Interviews and tests may be part of the process. 

Reference letter

You should state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information.

Application procedure

Before applying the candidates are advised to read the Faculty information for prospective PhD students, the SDU information on how to apply 

Assessment of candidates is based on the application material. The application must include the following documents in English:  

• Motivation letter stating your specific interest, motivation and qualifications for the project in question (max. 2 pages). 
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae, describing research, publication and teaching experience, computational skills and including personal contact information.
• Completed TEK PhD application form for 5+3 applicants. Find the form at the Faculty website.
• Completed TEK PhD form for calculation grade point average. Find the form at the Faculty website. 
• List of publications and maximum 2 examples of relevant publications, in case you have any publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication.
• Certificates/Diplomas (bachelor’s and master’s degree) – incl. transcripts of grades in Danish and/or English.  
• An official document describing the grading scheme of the awarding universities (if not Danish).  
• Only for applicants from programmes that evaluate thesis/examination project by approved/not approved: Please submit an official and verified written assessment of the thesis or dissertation project from the grade giving institution. The statement must clearly state that the candidate has been among the top 30 pct. in the graduation class for the study programme. 
• References (names and emails) and reference letters may also be included. You're welcome to use the form for reference letter at the Faculty website.

UPLOAD GUIDE: Motivation letter shall be uploaded as ‘Cover letter’, Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded as ‘Resume’. All other documents shall be uploaded as ‘Miscellaneous documents’.  

Documents must not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out. 

The application deadline is January 31, 2025, at 11.59 PM / 23.59 (CET/CEST)  

The University of Southern Denmark wishes to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. 

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.  

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.