Exeter / Turing Research Fellow in Machine Learning Control

The College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences

This full-time EPSRC funded position is available, on a fixed term contract, from 01/10/2021 to 30/09/2024.

The University of Exeter is a Russell Group university in the top 200 of universities worldwide. We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, and have achieved a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2017. We have over 22,000 students and 4600 staff from 180 different countries and have been rated the WhatUni2017 International Student Choice. 

The post

The College wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to participate in 'Project BlueBird': an exciting £13.75M, 5-year EPSRC Prosperity Partnership between NATS, Turing, Exeter and Cambridge, led by Professor Tim Dodwell (Turing AI Fellow at Turing & Exeter).

The EPSRC programme, which started in July 2021, is recruiting six post-doctoral researcher positions to be based at Exeter and Turing, across three theme which include (1) Digital Twin of UK Airspace (2) Multi-Agent Machine Learning Control of Air Traffic (3) Safe and Trustworthy Air Traffic Control. Links to all the roles available can be found on the project website: https://www.turing.ac.uk/research/research-projects/project-bluebird-ai-system-air-traffic-control

The data centric engineering group (https://www.datacentricengineering.co.uk ) at Exeter are recruiting a PDRF for 3 years (with a possible extension to 4 years) to develop novel machine learning control algorithms for air traffic control within the wider BlueBird Programme. This is a collaborative interdisciplinary research position, working with a team of researchers initially consisting of 2 Post Doc positions and 2 software engineers - based at both Turing and Exeter. The aim of the theme is to develop machine learning control algorithms which can dynamically, safely and efficiently control air traffic in real world situations.

The successful applicants will work within this team, which will be led and supervised by Professor Tim Dodwell (Turing AI Fellow at Turing & University of Exeter) and Professor Richard Everson (Exeter & Turing).

We welcome applications from a broad range of background include computer science, mathematics, statistics and engineering; with knowledge of optimisation, reinforcement learning, multiagent systems and/or high performance computing.

For this theme, there are 2 PDRF positions currently available, one based at Turing and one at Exeter. If you are interested in these roles in general, we ask you to submit (the same) application to each position. Shortlisting and interviews will be carried out by identical panels.

You will:

• be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.
• possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study.
• be a nationally recognised authority in machine learning and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies.
• be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.
• be able to work well in a team, and demonstrate a strong commitment to open, reproducible science and software development.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career

• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon.

For further information please contact professor Richard Everson, e-mail [email protected] or Professor Tim Dodwell email [email protected].