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<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom:
1rem; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.35; font-size: 1.375rem;">Full-time
PhD position in AI -- Federated Learning using Inductive Logic
Programming (ARIAC project)</h1>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom:
1.5em;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight:
bolder;">University faculty</strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>: Computer science <br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Grade</strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>: researcher <br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Contract</strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>: renewable fixed term
contract <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Category</strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>: scientific personnel <br
style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Allocation</strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>: External funds </p>
<h3>Job description</h3>
The proposed research posittion is aimed at investigating
fundamental research in the context of federated learning using
inductive logic programming. The position is tailored for a
researcher willing to do a PhD thesis. It is conceived as a 4-years
program. It is offered as a 2-years position, renewable for up to 2
additional years. The person hired will join the Focus research
center under the guidance of Prof. J.-M. Jacquet, I. Linden and W.
Vanhoof. It is expected that the researcher will tackle both the
design of languages and the study of their semantics. This project
will also be conducted with the academic and industrial partners of
the ARIAC project. More information on the project can be found at <a
href="https://staff.info.unamur.be/jmj/filp"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://staff.info.unamur.be/jmj/filp</a>.<br>
<br>
<h3>Context</h3>
ARIAC by DigitalWallonia4.ai is a research project funded by the
Walloon Region bringing together the five French-speaking
universities and four Walloon research centers with the primary
objective of accelerating the development of artificial intelligence
technologies in Wallonia. The project is part of the TRAIL (Trusted
AI Labs) initiative, launched in September 2020, which aims at
enhancing the development of artificial intelligence technologies in
Wallonia. Among the different axes, the ARIAC project aims to
develop Trusted Mechanisms for AI in the goal of offering guarantees
to people using AI techniques. In that context, we explore the
potential of inductive logic programming in a federated learning
scheme. More information on TRAIL can be found at <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://trail.bydw.be/en">https://trail.bydw.be/en</a>.<br>
<br>
<h3>About the employer</h3>
The University of Namur (UNamur) is located in the center of
Belgium, in the French-speaking part of the country. It offers
quality education to more than 7,000 students every year and hosts
more than 900 researchers in all fields of expertise. The Faculty of
Computer Science provides cutting-edge teaching and research,
intending to put computers at the service of society, taking account
of their impact on the environment and respecting the values of
solidarity and sustainable development. The Faculty of Computer
Science is a founding member of the Namur Digital Institute (NADI),
which groups together over 150 researchers in digital technology. It
has a multi-disciplinary approach and addresses, in particular, the
issues and challenges of computer science in organizations and
society. The Faculty of Computer Science has over 400 students, 80
members of staff, including 18 professors and around 50 researchers.
Founded in 1968, the Faculty has trained over 1,800 high-level
computer science graduates since then.<br>
<br>
<br>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom:
1.5em;">Profile</h3>
Those who apply will carry:<br>
<ul>
<li>a Master's degree (120 ECTS credits) in Computer Science, or
equivalent,</li>
<li>or a Civil Engineering degree, a Business Engineering degree
or a Master in Mathematics with solid knowledge of
computer-science related topics, or equivalent </li>
</ul>
The person hired will demonstrate:<br>
<ul>
<li>interest for language design, semantics and declarative
programming</li>
<li>ability to integrate and work in a research team,</li>
<li>good communication and presentation skills in English (read,
written, spoken), knowledge of French is considered as a plus,</li>
<li>sense of initiative and responsibility, autonomy, and
organization.</li>
</ul>
Note that soon to be graduating master students are welcome to apply
provided that they will have graduated before the start of the
position. Candidates that already hold a PhD degree are not
eligible.<br>
<br>
<br>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom:
1.5em;">Additional information</h3>
For additional information please do not hesitate to contact one of
the project leaders : J.-M. Jacquet, I. Linden or W. Vanhoof (see
email addresses below).<br>
<br>
<h3>How to apply?</h3>
Applications should be sent by e-mail to <a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:jean-marie.jacquet@unamur.be">jean-marie.jacquet@unamur.be</a>
AND <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:isabelle.linden@unamur.be">isabelle.linden@unamur.be</a>
AND <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:wim.vanhoof@unamur.be">wim.vanhoof@unamur.be</a> and
contain the following:<span class="Apple-converted-space"></span><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"></strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"></span><strong style="box-sizing:
border-box; font-weight: bolder;"></strong><strong
style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"></strong><span
class="Apple-converted-space"></span><br>
<br>
<ul>
<li>a motivation letter describing the interest in the research
topic,</li>
<li>a recent CV,</li>
<li>a copy of diplomas (Bachelor and Master, if available),</li>
<li>a transcript with the grades obtained for each course taken on
each university year,</li>
<li>the name and e-mail address of two reference persons to be
contacted upon request.</li>
</ul>
A dedicated selection committee will examine applications.<br>
<br>
<h3>Important dates</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Submission
deadline</strong>: May 15th, 2022 (11h59 pm AoE).</li>
<li><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Expected
starting date</strong>: September 1st, 2022 (negotiable,
depending on COVID or candidate constraints).</li>
</ul>
<br>
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The human resources management
policy of the University of Namur is based on respect for equal
rights and equal treatment for all. This diversity is articulated
around different axes, including gender, disability, origin,
beliefs, age, sexual orientation, etc. The University of Namur is
also a signatory of the charter of diversity</i>.<br>
<br>
<br>
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