WASP AI Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Mathematical Statistics - Befattningen är under tillsättning eller redan tillsatt, och det är inte längre möjligt att lämna in en ansökan

The department of mathematics and mathematical statistics invites applicants for a tenure track position as an Assistant Professor in Mathematical Statistics with specialisation in nonconvex inference and learning. The position comes with a substantial recruitment package including full funding of one PhD student, two postdocs, and discretionary funds related to the project at a level of 60 kSEK yearly. The last day for applications is September 13, 2020.

Background

The expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most exciting developments of the 21st century. The centre Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems, and Software Program (WASP) is launchinga program to develop the mathematics of AI and strengthen Sweden's position in the field. The current call is part of the WASP recruitment program and is intended to further develop the research environment within statistical learning at the Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University.

Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) 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/

Industrial robots, autonomous cars, stocks trading algorithms, and deep network assisted evaluation of medical images all crucially involve real-time, intelligent and automated decision making from complex and heterogeneous data, at ever growing scale and pace. This presents unprecedented theoretical and algorithmic challenges and opportunities for researchers in collecting and transforming data into information, predictions and intelligent decisions.

Optimization theory is vital to modern statistical learning and at the forefront of these advances, and the main objective of this position is to develop the next generation of learning theory to address the above challenges in the context of modern statistical learning, and potentially explore their applications in AI, including medical imaging, automated quality control, and self-driving cars, evaluated on both simulated and real data.

Subject description

The subject area is mathematical statistics with specialisation in nonconvex inference and learning. The proposed research field has a focus on developing new mathematical, statistical and computational methodology for nonconvex learning, establish the theoretical framework, and explore their applications in AI.

The employment

The applicant should contribute to the build-up of the research environment on mathematics for AI, with focus on nonconvex inference and learning, and supervise PhD students and postdocs. The description of the applicant's intended research will be given great significance in the evaluation process.

You are expected to work independently and your main focus should be to develop novel theory in nonconvex inference and learning for AI. Education at the department will offer an opportunity to supervise qualified degree projects in collaboration with external partners. You are eventually expected to create a new research group, while engaging in WASP's graduate school, WASP national meetings and other activities. You are also expected to actively engage in applying for external research funding.

The employment as Assistant Professor (biträdande universitetslektor in Swedish) is a five year position where 80% of the time is devoted to research. At the end of this employment period, an Assistant Professor has the right, after request, to be examined for a promotion to Associate Professor at Umeå University.

Eligibility

A person who holds a doctorate or has equivalent academic competence is qualified for an appointment as Assistant Professor. Priority is given to candidates who have completed their doctoral degree or equivalent academic competence no more than five years before the deadline of the application as an Assistant Professor. A person who holds a doctorate or has achieved equivalent expertise earlier can also be considered if special reason exists. Special reason refers to leave of absence due to illness, parental leave or other similar circumstances (Chapter 4, Section 4a, Higher Education Ordinance).

The applicant must be fluent in oral and written English.

Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria for the employment of an Assistant Professor shall apply to the degree of expertise which is a requirement for eligibility for employment. In addition, the degree of educational expertise as well as administrative and other expertise of of importance for the position and duties will be considered. Furthermore, the degree of expertise for development and leading activities and personnel at the university, as well as the ability to cooperate and interact with the surrounding society and inform about research and development work will be considered.

Research expertise

The criteria for assessment are:
• breadth and depth of research – quality and scope
• originality of research
• productivity
• contributions to the international research community
• assignments within the research community
• the ability to competitively obtain external research funding
• collaboration with the surrounding society

The applicant should have contributed to the theory for nonconvex inference and learning including methodological development. Achievements of new theory in both optimisation and statistical learning with applications in deep neural networks and inference with generative adversarial networks are of particular interest for the position. Experience of successful development of mathematical and statistical methods for analysis of big data and experience of interdisciplinary research projects will be meritorious, as will a documented ability to attract competitive research funding.

Considerable weight will be put on the assessment of the enclosed research plan. 

Educational expertise

The criteria for assessment are:

• an ability to plan, implement and evaluate teaching and an ability to supervise and examine students at every level of education
• an ability to vary teaching methods and examination formats in relation to anticipated
• study results and the nature of the subject
• experience of collaboration with the surrounding society in planning and implementation of education
• participation in the development of learning environments, teaching aids and study resources
• a reflective approach to student learning and one’s own role as a teacher

Educational expertise should relate to mathematical statistics or mathematics.

These skills can be obtained through higher education teacher training, other training relevant to teaching within higher education and/or documented, proven experience of teaching in higher education.

Documented experience of teaching at first-cycle and second-cycle (basic and advanced level) and supervision of degree theses and pedagogical development work are meritorious.

Documented successful educational and professional activities in mathematics or mathematical statistics and documented successful experience of collaboration between research and education are meritorious.

Weighting of the assessment criteria

With selection of applicants for the position, the degree of research expertise shall be decisive. In addition, the degree of educational expertise as well as administrative and other competences of importance should be taken into account with regard to the subject content of the employment and the duties to be included in the employment. Furthermore, consideration should be given to the degree of ability to develop and manage business and staff at the university and the ability to collaborate with the surrounding community and to inform about research and development work.

Application

The application should include:

• Personal letter, including contact details
• CV with academic and professional qualifications
• List of publications
• Statement of scientific work (see instructions in link)
• Statement of pedagogic work (see instructions in link)
• Statement of development and management of activities and staff
• Statement of collaboration with the surrounding society and popular science work
• A research plan, maximum of 6 pages in length, which describes the research and issues you wish to investigate as a part of the employment and how you could contribute to the corresponding research projects linked to WASP strategic areas.
• Certified copies of relevant degree certificates
• Copies of at most 5 relevant publications, numbered in accordance to the list of publications
• Two references, including contact details

Here you will find instructions how to formulate the statement of scientific and educational activities

Your application should be submitted through Umeå University's digital recruitment system Varbi on 2020-09-13 at the latest.

More information

Please contact associate Head of Department Patrik Rydén, +46-90-786 95 62, patrik.ryden@umu.se, and/ or Head of Department Åke Brännström, +46-90-786 78 62, ake.brannstrom@umu.se.

Consideration for promotion to Associate Professor

An Assistant Professor shall, upon application, be promoted to Associate Professor if he or she is qualified for an appointment as an Associate Professor and upon review is deemed to meet the requirements for such appointment according to the assessment grounds to be applied in a promotion to Associate Professor. Such a promotion entails an open-ended contract as an Associate Professor. The application for review for promotion must be submitted six months before the fixed-term appointment ends. If an Assistant Professor is not promoted after review, the fixed-term appointment ends. The criteria for promotion can be found in the employment profile established by the Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology June 23d, 2020. 

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