PhD position on Practical AI Planning with Ontologies 100%

at  Universitt Basel

The Artificial Intelligence (https://ai.dmi.unibas.ch/) research group at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel, is seeking a PhD candidate for a collaborative project with TU Dresden (Germany) on Practical Planning with Ontologies. This research lies at the intersection of two key areas withing symbolic AI: AI Planning and Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KR).
This fully funded position is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (https://snf.ch/) for a duration of three years, with the possibility of extension to a fourth year. The position is available starting December 2024, but the start can be adjusted to spring or summer 2025, based on mutual agreement.
Founded in 1460, the University of Basel is the oldest university in Switzerland. The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (http://www.dmi.unibas.ch) is located in a modern facility in the heart of the city, near the River Rhine. With its approximately 100 members from all over the world, the department offers a welcoming atmosphere and a stimulating working environment with an excellent research infrastructure. The Artificial Intelligence group, led by Prof. Dr. Malte Helmert, focuses on Automated Planning and Heuristic Search. The group is responsible for the development and maintenance of the award-winning planning system Fast Downward, which will serve as an excellent foundation for this project.

YOUR PROFILE

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who meets the following criteria:

• A Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related discipline.
• A strong interest in pursuing scientific research on the topic of the project.
• An outstanding academic record and a solid foundation in mathematics. While prior research experience is beneficial, it is not a requirement.
• Theoretical and practical experience in at least one of the following areas:
• Automated Planning
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning
• Mathematical Logic
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English (spoken and written). German language skills are not required, but welcome.

We are committed to increasing diversity in fields where women and other underrepresented groups are less represented and strongly encourage candidates from these groups to apply.

Please refer the Job description for details