Job description

KTH Computer Science and Communication invites applications for a postdoctoral position in computational complexity and/or SAT solving.

The Theoretical Computer Science Group at KTH (www.csc.kth.se/tcs) offers a strong research environment spanning a wide range of research topics such as complexity theory and approximation algorithms, computer and network security, cryptography, formal methods and natural language processing. We have a consistent track record of publishing regularly in the leading theoretical computer science conferences and journals worldwide, and the research conducted here has attracted numerous international awards and grants in recent years.

The postdoctoral researcher will be working in the research group of Jakob Nordström (www.csc.kth.se/~jakobn). Much of the activities of this research group revolve around the themes of proof complexity and SAT solving. On the theoretical side, proof complexity has turned out to have deep, and sometimes surprising, connections to other topics such as, e.g., circuit complexity, communication complexity, and hardness of approximation, and therefore researchers in these or other related areas are more than welcome to apply. On the practical side, some interesting problems are to gain a better understanding of the performance of current state-of-the-art SAT solvers — in particular, solvers using conflict-driven clause learning (CDCL) — and to explore techniques that would go beyond CDCL, such as approaches based on algebraic or geometric reasoning.

Within the overall framework sketched above, the postdoc will be expected and encouraged to contribute to and influence the research agenda. Taking part in teaching graduate seminar courses is encouraged but not required. Travel funding is included, and the group also receives short-term and long-term visitors on a regular basis.

The research project is financed by a Breakthrough Research Grant from the Swedish Research Council and a Starting Independent Researcher Grant from the European Research Council. A more detailed description of the project can be found at www.csc.kth.se/~jakobn/project-proofcplx. The group currently consists of one postdoctoral researcher and four PhD students (in addition to the project leader).

This postdoc position is a full-time employed position for one year with a possible one-year extension. The successful candidate is expected to start in August-September 2015, although this is to some extent negotiable.

Qualifications

Applicants should have or be about to receive a PhD degree in a subject relevant for the research area, and should have a passionate interest in research. Exceptional candidates are always of interest regardless of formal prerequisites. Problem solving skills and creativity are a must.

The successful candidate is expected to have a solid background in computer science (in computational complexity or SAT solving, respectively) and preferably also in mathematics (in areas such as combinatorics, algebra and/or geometry), and should have a strong research record as witnessed by publications in conferences such as STOC, FOCS, CCC, ICALP, SODA, SAT, CP, AAAI, IJCAI, or similar, or in journals of a comparable quality.

The working language of the TCS group is English, and knowledge of English is also fully sufficient to navigate life in Sweden in general. It might also be worth mentioning that Sweden routinely scores at the absolute top in rankings of quality of life such as, e.g., the OECD Better Life Index.

Trade union representatives

You’ll find contact information to trade union representatives at KTH:s webbpage.

Application

Log into KTH’s recruitment system in order to apply to this position. You are the main responsible to ensure that your application is complete according to the ad. Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application.

The application should include the following documents:

1. Curriculum vitae
2. List of publications
3. Brief research statement with description of professional interests and goals in research
4. Copy of PhD diploma (if applicable)
5. Names and addresses of three or more individuals who will provide letters of recommendation

Please observe that all the documents above should be in English (or for official documents possibly in Swedish).

Writers of recommendation letters should submit their letters directly to jakobn<στο>csc.kth.se by the application deadline.

Other information

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