Senior research Engineer in Data Science - ,

The Department of Computing Science at Umeå University (http://www.cs.umu.se) is seeking a Senior Research Engineer with focus on Machine Learning and Explainable AI for Autonomous Systems. Autonomous Systems signifies autonomously driving vehicles, smart houses, smart machines etc, which operate in real-world scenarios and therefore need to handle different situations (contexts) successfully. The current trend is that such Autonomous Systems are trained by Machine Learning methods in order to improve their performance over time. However, the use of Machine Learning tends to create so called black-box controllers, whose behavior is opaque to end users, as well as to system designers. This is why the development of new methods for explaining and justifying the decisions, recommendations and actions of Artificial Intelligence systems to different users and stakeholders is gaining increased importance. Explanations should be adapted to the context and to the targeted user. It is also often useful or necessary to explain un-successful decisions or failures, especially if there is a risk for injuries to humans.

The last date for application is 2020-01-31. The appointment is for 11 months full-time employment. The employment will start 2020-03-01, or as otherwise agreed.

The recruited Senior Research Engineer will be part of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP), which 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. Software is the main enabler in these systems, and is an integrated research theme of the program.

The vision of WASP is excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software for the benefit of Swedish industry.”

Read more at: https://wasp-sweden.org/

Project description
The recruited Senior Research Engineer will be a member of the Explainable AI team at Umeå University. The team’s high-level vision is to develop ground-breaking Data Science methods for Autonomous Systems that learn from data and experience, and that can justify and explain their behavior. These kinds of systems are sometimes described using the term Self-* capable Intelligent Products and Environments, where Self-* signifies self-configuring, self-organizing, self-tuning, self-healing, self-managing systems, and self-explaining systems. Future work is expected to have a significant role in the development of such Self-* systems through IoT-enabled remote monitoring and updating over standardized interfaces, which together with machine learning methods are the main technical enablers of such systems.

Your research will focus on one or several of the following key topics:

• Use machine learning and related technologies targeted towards self-learning and adaptive control. Emphasis would be on augmenting the product intelligence embedded in products so that they can auto-adapt themselves according to their operating conditions.
• Explainability and robustness of autonomous systems whose “intelligence” is based on machine learning and is therefore not directly explainable and understandable by humans.
• Autonomous agents and multiagent systems. Intelligent products need to communicate with other systems (embedded, in the cloud or elsewhere) and adapt to them, as well as access and use external information systems that are relevant to them

The research will be performed jointly with senior researchers and PhD students within our research group, as well as with our national and international partners. Coordination tasks within large-scale projects may also be included.

Qualifications
You must have earned a PhD or an equivalent degree in Data Science, Computer Science or a related subject relevant for the position.

Demonstrated experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning is required. Publications in the area of the position are highly meriting. Ideal candidates should be capable to work independently and like to work with challenging problems and innovative solutions. Proficiency in English, both spoken and written, is required.

Application
A complete application should include:

• Introductory letter including a 2-page statement of research interests relative to the above topics and a motivation of why your expertise is appropriate for the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a complete list of scientific publications
• Copies of degree certificates, including documentation of completed academic courses and obtained grades
• A copy of your PhD thesis and copies of (max 5) original research publications relevant to the above topics, numbered according to the publication list.
• Names and contact information for three persons willing to act as references
• Any other information relevant for the position such as description of software development experience, or previous industry experience.

Welcome with your application

Applications must be submitted electronically using the e-recruitment system Varbi, and be received no later than January 31st, 2020. Reference number AN 2.2.1-1807-17.

Further information
For further information, please contact Professor Kary Främling, Kary.Framling@cs.umu.se, phone: +46-(0)72-144 08 60.

More information about our university can be found at http://www.umu.se