PhD or postdoc in Automated HW generation of AI co-processors

(ref. BAP-2022-346)

MICAS is a research group within the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) of the University of Leuven (KU Leuven). MICAS conducts research on the design of integrated circuits in nano-electronic technologies. This research is performed in close collaboration with the semiconductor industry and about 75% of the groups’ budget is through industrial collaborations. MICAS consists of 7 professors and 80 Ph.D. researchers. As such, KU Leuven MICAS is the largest academic circuit-level research group within Europe. MICAS tapes out dozens of chips every year, and possesses a top-notch chip bonding, packaging and measurement lab. We also closely collaborate with imec. More information about the group and its activities can be found at http://www.esat.kuleuven.be/micas/

The PhD student or post-doctoral researcher will conduct (and supervise) research on automated design of resource-efficient ML computer architectures, and/or digital and mixed-signal implementations of machine learning processors. Recently deep neural networks have gained enormous popularity in the signal processing community. In the micro-electronics research domain this has sprouted attention on customized processors for efficient embedded deep neural network inference. Our team has published several of these state-of-the-art processors over the past few years. We will build upon our work in the field of deep learning processors and hardware/algorithm co-optimization, which has demonstrated to save orders of magnitude on energy efficiency. Yet, we want to extend this work towards a.) multi-chip(let) computer architectures; b.) mixed-signal processing and compute-in-memory; c.) automated hardware optimization and generation .

You will closely collaborate with researchers from KU Leuven’s algorithmic machine learning group, researchers from Imec, researchers from various international research groups and several industrial partner companies.

• Candidates must have a solid background in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent), with expertise in computer architectures, digital design and/or mixed-signal design.

• Additional research/educational experience in machine learning, high-level synthesis or chip tape out are a strong plus.

• We are looking for a team player with the capability to work in an international research team.

• Excellent proficiency in the English language is also required, as well as good communication skills, both oral and written

• An exciting research environment, working on the intersection between emerging research domains (machine learning; processor design; ultra-low power chip and system design)

• The ability to closely interact with our industrial partners, as well as many academic research partners in ongoing projects

• A thorough scientific education, the possibility to become a world-class researcher

• A KU Leuven affiliation, one of the largest research universities of Europe

• The possibility to participate in international conferences and academic as well as industrial collaboration

Meer informatie is te verkrijgen bij prof. dr. ir. Marian Verhelst, tel.: +32 16 32 86 17, mail: marian.verhelst@kuleuven.be.

KU Leuven wil een omgeving creëren waarin alle talenten maximaal tot ontplooiing kunnen komen, ongeacht gender, leeftijd, culturele herkomst, nationaliteit of functiebeperking. Hebt u vragen in verband met toegankelijkheid of ondersteuningsmogelijkheden, dan kan u ons contacteren via diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.