Research professor in Numerical Methods for Quantum Computing (BOFZAP) (ref. BZI-2023-2)

4 May 2023
Job Information

Organisation/Company

KU Leuven

Research Field

Computer science » Other

Researcher Profile

Leading Researcher (R4)

Country

Belgium

Application Deadline

14 Sep 2023 - 21:24 (Africa/Abidjan)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The Science, Engineering, and Technology Group, Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Computer Science of KU Leuven, invites scholars to apply for a full time research professorship in the research unit Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics (NUMA). This position is funded by the Special Research Fund (BOFZAP), established by the Flemish Government. We are looking for motivated and internationally oriented candidates with an excellent research record at the interplay of numerical methods and quantum computing, and with educational competence in related areas. The appointment is expected to start on September 1, 2024. Applications will be evaluated in parallel and independently by 1) the KU Leuven Research Council in a competitive process across academic domains and 2) the faculty advisory committee. During the first 10 years, the teaching obligations as a research professor will be limited. Afterwards, the position will be transformed into a regular professorship. Quantum computing is a novel computing paradigm relying on fundamental properties of quantum physics. It features new core building blocks that can lead to exponential speedups relative to traditional computing. This requires a fundamental shift in the design of numerical algorithms and their optimized mapping to available quantum circuits. The new position aims to broaden the experience of the Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics (NUMA) research unit in the domain of quantum computing. Candidates are expected to have already obtained excellent research results within the research field of design, analysis, development, and implementation of new quantum algorithms for numerical computing, such as - quantum annealing algorithms for science and engineering problems - quantum machine learning algorithms - new computing methodologies for quantum computers - algorithms and software in computational science and engineering; and/or the development of numerical methods (using, e.g., multi-linear algebra, optimization, uncertainty quantification) for quantum computing, such as, e.g., the quantum compiling problem. The Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics (NUMA) Section within the Department of Computer Science aims at the development, analysis, and implementation of numerical algorithms and their application in society, science, and engineering. The NUMA Section covers many aspects of computational mathematics, including approximation theory, numerical integration, numerical (multi-) linear algebra, numerical partial differential equations, uncertainty quantification, optimization and control, discrete optimization and scheduling, and high-performance computing. The research unit also performs research in collaboration with industry.

Website unit

Opdracht
Onderzoek

It is part of the assignment of the appointed candidate to develop, within the domain of numerical methods for quantum computing an international, competitive research programme, to pursue excellent scientific results at an international level and to support and promote national and international research partnerships. The candidate must meet a strong research profile or have the potential to do so. In addition, the candidate is expected to have a multidisciplinary attitude and a willingness to cooperate intensively with other researchers and research units at KU Leuven, and in particular with the researchers involved in the KU Leuven Quantum Initiative at imec and at the departments of Materials Engineering, Electrical Engineering (ESAT), Physics and Astronomy, and Chemical Engineering.

The candidate:

• Is an excellent, internationally oriented researcher and develops a research programme at the forefront of the interplay of numerical methods and quantum computing.
• Strengthens existing research lines and brings complementary and/or additionally new expertise by working closely with the members of the research unit.
• Publishes articles at the highest scientific level in various leading international journals in the domain.
• Develops an own research group.
• Supervises master students, PhD students and postdocs at a high international level.
• Aims to acquire competitive research funding from national and/or international agencies and submits effective research project proposals for this purpose.
• Establishes national and international partnerships in the context of the research programme.
• Strives for excellence in research and provides a contribution to the international research reputation of the Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics Section, Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven.
• Has a pronounced interest in fundamental research, but also pays attention to the valorization and applications of the research.

Onderwijs

Although the position regards a research professorship at the start of employment, the candidate is expected to gradually contribute to state of the art teaching.

The candidate also contributes to the pedagogic project of the faculty/university, develops teaching in accordance with KU Leuven s vision on activating and research based education, and makes use of the possibilities for the educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university.

The assignment of the candidate to be appointed also includes a teaching assignment. The teaching task is determined in consultation and based on the candidate s specific profile. The scope of this assignment is limited in the first years of the appointment.

Dienstverlening

Scientific, societal, and internal services (administrative and/or institutional) are also part of the assignment.

Requirements

• You have a PhD in Mathematical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or an equivalent degree. If you have recently obtained your PhD, it is important that you support your research and growth potential with academic references, e.g., demonstrate potential through at least one top publication, academic references, promising research projects, and acquired competitive funding.
• You have a strong research profile in the field and an indisputable research integrity.
• The quality of your research is proven by publications linked to the interplay of numerical methods and quantum computing in prominent/leading international top journals, such as, e.g., SIAM Journal on Matrix Analysis and Applications, SIAM Journal on Computing, Numerical Linear Algebra with Applications, Journal of Complexity, Physical Review, Quantum Information Processing, Journal of Quantum Computing, ...
• International research experience is considered as an important advantage.
• You have demonstrable qualities related to academic education. Teaching experience is a plus.
• You possess organizational skills and have a cooperative attitude. You also have leadership skills within a university context.
• Your spoken and written English is excellent. The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in administrative meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch resp. English to the required standard.

Offer

• We offer full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly inter- and multidisciplinary focused and strives for international excellence. In this regard, we actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad. We provide our students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.
• Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed to or tenured in one of the grades of the senior academic staff: assistant professor, associate professor, professor, or full professor. In principle, junior researchers are appointed as assistant professor on a tenure track for a period of 5 years; after this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed as an associate professor. 
• You will work in Leuven, a historic and dynamic and vibrant city located in the heart of Belgium, within twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam.
• KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, &
• In order to facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors without substantial other funding and appointed for at least 50%.

More information

Full application and selection prodedure
Quantum @ KU Leuven

Interested?

More information on the content of the job can be obtained from the academic contact person Prof. dr. Raf Vandebril (chair of the Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics (NUMA) Section)

(raf.vandebril@kuleuven.be , tel. +32 16 32 76 30).

 

More information on the guidelines, regulations and application file is available from Ms. Kristin Vermeylen (kristin.vermeylen@kuleuven.be , tel. +32 16 32 09 07), Ms. Martine Van Nierop (martine.vannierop@kuleuven.be , tel. +32 16 32 76 98) or Ms. Christelle Maeyaert (christel.maeyaert@kuleuven.be , tel. +32 16 31 41 94).

You can apply for this job no later than September 14, 2023 via the online application tool

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be .

Requirements

Research Field

Computer science » Other

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

KU Leuven

Country

Belgium

City

Leuven

Postal Code

3000

Street

Parijsstraat 72b

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60205789

Contact

City

Leuven

Website

http://www.kuleuvencareers.be
https://set.kuleuven.be/en/about-us/vacancies/quantum

Street

Parijsstraat 72b Leuven

E-Mail

rekrutering@kuleuven.be

STATUS: EXPIRED