Open positions

New positions available!
We are currently hiring for PhD and Postdoc positions. Check the details below and apply now!

Are you curious about some of our research and have further questions? Feel free to drop us an e-mail (burkholz@cispa.de) to get in touch.

For more general information on pursuing a PhD or postdoc at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, see the CISPA Career Portal.

What it is about

Deep learning continues to achieve impressive breakthroughs across disciplines and is a major driving force behind a multitude of innovations. For instance, it has helped computers convert text into images, assist in the design of new drugs, generate code, and even find fast matrix multiplication algorithms. Yet, it comes at considerable costs. It requires huge amounts of data to learn complex models that are difficult to interpret and are vulnerable to attacks.

The major goal of the Relational Machine Learning Lab is to alleviate these problems based on sound theoretical insights and broaden the applicability of deep learning across the natural sciences and biomedical domain.

What we look for

• We are particularly interested in candidates with affinity towards theory.
• We value enthusiasm for research and curiosity for the inner workings of complex models.
• The working language is English. A command of German is not required.

Possible research topics include:

• Deep learning (theory and applications)
• Sparse learning and modelling (e.g. lottery tickets)
• Overparameterization and learning dynamics
• Graph neural networks (GNNs)
• Complex networks
• Discrete probabilistic models
• Robust learning algorithms
• Meaningful applications:
  • Molecular biology and genetics (in collaboration with domain experts at Harvard)
  • International food trade
  • etc.

What we offer

All positions are fully funded and come with excellent working conditions, such as a competitive salary, social security, 30 days of vacation, spacious offices, and generous travel support. Participation in teaching is encouraged, but not required.

We are a small team with a flat management structure and a collaborative work culture. Everyone is welcome to engage in discussions and contribute to joint projects.

The starting dates of the positions are flexible. We are committed to providing a healthy work environment and fostering diversity and respectful interaction. We welcome applications by candidates from all backgrounds and also support non-standard careers.

Past open positions

• We received an ERC Starting Grant in 2023 (SPARSE-ML) and had several open positions for PhD students and Postdocs:
  • PhD position in sparse machine learning.
  • Postdoctoral position in sparse machine learning.
  • Joint postdoctoral position with Krikamol Muandet.
• PhD position in machine learning (2022).

Student positions at UdS

We welcome Master and Bachelor students from Saarland University interested in completing their thesis with our group. We also offer paid internship (HiWi) positions at CISPA. Topics around machine learning theory and applications are available—see the team’s interests, past theses, and recent publications, and contact us by email for more details.