The Research Training Group 2853 “Neuroexplicit Models of Language, Vision, and Action” is looking for

3 PhD students and 1 postdoc November 2023 or later

Neuroexplicit models combine neural and human-interpretable (“explicit”) models in order to overcome the limitations that each model class has separately. They include neurosymbolic models, which combine neural and symbolic models, but also e.g. combinations of neural and physics-based models. In the RTG, we will improve the state of the art in natural language processing (“Language”), computer vision (“Vision”), and planning and reinforcement learning (“Action”) through the use of neuroexplicit models and investigate the cross-cutting design principles of effective neuroexplicit models (“Foundations”).

The RTG is scheduled to grow to a total of 24 PhD students and one postdoc by 2025. Through the inclusion of ~20 further PhD students and postdocs funded from other sources, it will be one of the largest research centers on neuroexplicit or neurosymbolic models in the world. The RTG brings together researchers at Saarland University, the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). All of these institutions are colocated on the same campus in Saarbrücken, Germany.

In a previous round of recruiting, we have already filled three PhD positions, leaving three positions free for applicants with a later MSc graduation date. The positions are funded as follows:

• PhD students will be funded for up to four years at the TV-L E13 100% pay scale. You should have or be about to complete an MSc degree in computer science or a related field and have demonstrated expertise in one of the research areas of the RTG, e.g. through an excellent Master’s thesis or relevant publications.

• The postdoc will initially be funded for three years, with the possibility of extension up to five years, at the TV-L E13 100% pay scale. As the RTG postdoc, you will pursue your own research agenda in the field of neuroexplicit models and work with the PhD students to identify and pursue opportunities for collaborative research. You should have or be about to complete a PhD in computer science or a related field and have demonstrated your expertise in one or more of the RTG’s research areas through publications in top venues.

The RTG is part of the Saarland Informatics Campus, one of the leading centers for research in computer science, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing in Europe. The Saarland Informatics Campus brings together 900 researchers and 2500 students from 81 countries. The CISPA Helmholtz Center, located on the same campus, is home to an additional 350 researchers and on track to grow to 800 by 2026. Researchers at SIC and CISPA are part of the ELLIS network and have been awarded more than 35 ERC grants.

Each PhD student in the RTG will be jointly supervised by two PhD advisors from the list of Principal Investigators below. Each student will freely define their own research topic; we encourage the choice of topics that cross the traditional boundaries of research fields. Students may be affiliated with Saarland University or with one of the participating institutes.

Vera Demberg, Saarland University - Computational Linguistics Jörg Hoffmann, Saarland University - AI Planning Eddy Ilg, Saarland University - Computer Vision, Machine Learning Dietrich Klakow, Saarland University - Natural Language Processing Alexander Koller, Saarland University - Computational Linguistics Bernt Schiele, MPI for Informatics - Computer Vision, Machine Learning Philipp Slusallek, DFKI and Saarland University - Computer Graphics, Artificial Intelligence Christian Theobalt, MPI for Informatics - Visual Computing, Machine Learning Mariya Toneva, MPI for Software Systems - Computational Neuroscience, Machine Learning Isabel Valera, Saarland University - Machine Learning Jilles Vreeken, CISPA - Machine Learning, Causality Joachim Weickert, Saarland University - Mathematical Data Analysis Verena Wolf, DFKI and Saarland University - Modeling and Simulation, Reinforcement Learning

Ellie Pavlick, Brown University and Google AI, will join us regularly as a Mercator Fellow.

Please send your application by 31 July 2023 to apply@neuroexplicit.org. Include the reference number W2350 for the postdoc position and the reference number W2351 for the PhD positions. We aim to conduct job interviews in September, ideally in person in Saarbrücken, Germany.

Make sure to check the RTG website for details on the application process and what materials to include in the application: https://www.neuroexplicit.org/jobs

For all further information about the RTG, check out our website: https://www.neuroexplicit.org/