PhD scholarship in Assurance of AI-based Multi-modal Perception Systems for Situation Awareness – DTU Electro

Are you looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the development of safe and secure autonomous systems for the future of mobility and logistics? Do you aspire to be a trailblazer in the assurance of autonomous systems' technologies? If so, we invite you to embark on a scientific adventure across two internationally leading research environments in Scandinavia.

The TRUST-AS project, launched jointly by DTU and NTNU, presents an exciting opportunity for you to fulfill your dreams and ambitions. As a PhD candidate, you will be part of a groundbreaking project that focuses on the development of verification and validation (V&V) frameworks for assessing risk and quantifying safety levels of AI-based autonomous systems.

Your research will involve the exploration of methods and tools for the V&V of AI-based situation awareness systems, with a particular emphasis on the assurance of multi-modal perception systems. You will have the opportunity to showcase your theoretical findings by leveraging experimental perception platforms for autonomous ships. You will get exposure to relevant industrial stakeholders with clear interest in the outcome of the project.

By joining this project, you will be at the forefront of a critical and rapidly evolving field, working to shape the future of autonomous systems. We invite you to seize this unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research and establish yourself as a future pioneer in the assurance of autonomous systems' technologies.

The PhD project is framed within the DTU-NTNU Double PhD degree program. The PhD candidate will have to spend one (1) year of the PhD program at the NTNU Department of Engineering Cybernetics in Trondheim, Norway.

The research of this project has civilian objectives. However, equipment restricted by export licenses and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is being used in this research. Applicants that are citizens of Denmark, Norway and other NATO countries, Australia, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine are eligible. Other applicants should provide evidence of eligibility to use such equipment for their application to be considered.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to strengthen DTU Electro and NTNU Engineering Cybernetics expertise within verification and validation of AI-based systems for autonomous systems, with emphasis on developing novel methods and tools for assessing the robustness and reliability of multi-modal perception systems in the face of changing operational conditions. You will work closely with members of the autonomous ship research groups at both institutions, and you will play a pivotal role in strengthening the research collaboration between DTU and NTNU.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Perform internationally relevant research in safety and reliability of multi-modal perception systems for situation awareness
• Develop methods for the qualification and quantification of sensors’ data quality in relation to weather and operational conditions  
• Develop methods for sensitivity analysis of AI-based perception pipelines towards variation in data quality
• Develop methods for the verification and validation of multi-modal perception systems
• Demonstrate the developed methods and tools on case studies connected with autonomous ship navigation
• Lead the preparation of scientific publications towards ISI journals and highly ranked international conferences
• Share findings of your research with qualified professional audiences
• Co-supervise BSc and MSc projects within areas relevant to the project
• Provide teaching assistance in BSc and MSc courses at DTU Electro

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree. You should meet the following qualifications:

• You have documented knowledge through courses, projects, or former professional experience in two or more of the listed subjects: machine learning, fault diagnosis, formal methods, computer vision, optimization theory, sensor fusion, artificial intelligence, system safety theory
• You have documented experience through courses, projects or former professional experience with one or more of the listed sensor technologies: camera (in one or more spectral ranges), LIDAR, and RADAR (in one or more wavelengths).
• You have documented experience through courses, projects, or former professional experience to set up and execute experimental work
• You have a good expertise in scientific computing within development environments such as Matlab and/or Python
• Your curiosity and passion drive you to uncover the unknown. Your energy enables you to collaborate effectively with peers and pursue independent work towards shared objectives. As a results-driven individual, you are capable of going above and beyond to meet crucial deadlines.  

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval at both DTU and NTNU, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU and NTNU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education .

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Prof. Roberto Galeazzi (DTU, PhD supervisor) and Prof. Børge Rokseth (NTNU, PhD co-supervisor).

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

The starting date is earliest 1 June 2023, or according to a mutual agreement. The position is a full time position.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Roberto Galeazzi, Head of DTU Center for Collaborative Autonomous Systems by sending an email to roga@dtu.dk .

You can read more about the Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering at www.electro.dtu.dk .

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 3 April 2023 (Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• Up to three (3) examples of diverse documentation (scientific publications, link to personal webpages, link to GitHub repositories) demonstrating the required technical qualifications  

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

DTU Electro has more than 300 employees with competencies in electrical and photonics engineering. Research is performed within robotics, autonomous systems, power electronics, acoustic, nanophotonics, lasers, quantum photonics, optical sensors, LEDs, photovoltaics, ultra-high speed optical transmission systems, bio-photonics.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.