PhD student in Computing Science on safe and efficient programming languages - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Information Technology holds a leading position in both research and education at all levels. We are currently Uppsala University's third largest department, have around 350 employees, including 120 teachers and 120 PhD students. Approximately 5,000 undergraduate students take one or more courses at the department each year. You can find more information about us on the department of Information Technology website.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University

Duties/description of the subject area
Managed languages (such as Java, Erlang, Python, R and JavaScript) allow a high level of programming abstraction which allows rapid application development with fewer errors, in particular by presenting programmers with an abstract view of memory that can be managed automatically by the runtime system (aka execution environment). The efficiency of the algorithms at the core of runtime systems for managing memory, scheduling, etc. are imperative for the performance of managed languages. The strive for efficiency drives up complexity of the algorithms, stressing the need for a rigorous process for verifying their correctness.

The goal of this research project is to improve safety and efficiency of programming. There are different possible projects under this broader aim, including improving type systems or other forms of static analysis to make it possible to reject erroneous programs at compile-time; efficiently manage resources in the style of Rust; developing efficient algorithms for execution environments for e.g. memory management or scheduling, or verification of algorithms and protocols for execution environments. We will work with the successful candidate on identifying the most suitable project based on the candidate’s background, interests and long-term goals.

The project will pave the way for the development of safer and more efficient programming in managed languages which will lead to wider applicability of managed languages.

The position is for four years of research, but will typically include 20% teaching extending the time to five years.

Requirements
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in Computer Science or equivalent, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

Pursuing a PhD will require that you learn new skills and master new subjects.

You will be working in a coaching-focused environment where you can learn what is required in the research topic from your advisors, fellow PhD students, courses, and internships. Thus, aptitude, self-motivation, interest and perseverance are more important than a particular skill-set.

We require that applicants are already good writers and good programmers, and are able to point to indications thereof, such as text and code produced by them in the past.

In addition to the above, applicants should be able to work well both on their own and with others in a diverse group, be comfortable giving and receiving constructive criticism, and have strong abilities for critical thinking and structured work. These competencies are as important as the technical qualifications.

You are expected to be able to teach in Swedish or English. Excellent knowledge of oral and written English is a requirement.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

Additional qualifications
Experience with systems programming, runtimes, logic, theorem proving, programming languages, and compilers is important and meritorious.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

Working and Living in Sweden: Sweden is a fantastic place for living and working. Swedes are friendly and speak excellent English. The quality of life is high, with a strong emphasis on outdoor activities. The Swedish working climate emphasizes an open atmosphere, with active discussions involving both junior and senior staff. PhD students are full employees, with competitive salaries, pension provision and five weeks of paid leave per year. Spouses of employees are entitled to work permits. Healthcare is free after a small co-pay and the university subsidizes athletic costs, such as a gym membership. The parental benefits in Sweden are among the best in the world, including extensive parental leave (for both parents), paid time off to care for sick children, and affordable daycare.

The application must include

• A statement (1–2 pages) of the applicant’s motivation for applying for this position, including the candidate’s research interests and how they will support this project, and evidence of the applicant’s self-motivation and ability to work in a group – an applicant is encouraged but not required to express a preference for working within static analysis, types, implementation of execution environments, or verification, with a short explanation
• A description (2 pages) of the applicant’s master thesis work, and if applicable connecting it to the skills asked for above
• A CV
• Copies of degrees and grades (translated to English or Swedish)
• A copy of the MSc thesis (or a draft thereof)
• Copies of publications (include a description of the candidate’s own contributions for each publication)
• Links to online repositories of code and other artefacts (such as GitHub or Bitbucket) other relevant documents
• The earliest possible starting date

Promising applicants will be invited for a practical programming challenge, a logic challenge, and an in-depth interview before hiring.

Currently, there are more employees with legal gender male than legal gender female among PhD students in the Department of Information Technology. The university is endeavouring to achieve a more even distribution of the legal sexes in this category.

For further information about the position, please contact: Professor Tobias Wrigstad Ph. +46(0)736 971419 tobias.wrigstad@it.uu.se or universitetslektor Tjark Weber Ph. +4618 471 1099 tjark.weber@it.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 10 August 2023, UFV-PA 2023/2610.

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