PhD Student statistics/ machine learning

Job description

The BIOSTAT research group of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University is seeking for a highly motivated and talented PhD student working at the interface of mathematical statistics and machine learning. The group (www.biostat.ugent.be) is part of the Department of Data analysis and Mathematical Modelling which has a long tradition in the development and application of statistics in the field of bioscience engineering.

The PhD student will work on the development of spatio-temporal data analysis techniques tailored to the challenges that can arise in environmental settings. The research is defined within the context of the Flanders AI (artificial intelligence) Project (FAIR2) and will be concerned with ways to compute optimal data collection strategies in space and time through e.g. the use of Bayesian methodologies. Besides, the study and occurrence of extremes can be of interest. Computational methods (e.g. resampling methods, Monte Carlo theory among others) will play an important role in this research next to Bayesian statistical modelling with e.g. hierarchical modelling, GAMMs or Gaussian processes.

Your main tasks:

• You perform academic research for the preparation of a doctoral dissertation.
• You write down your results in scientific articles that are published in web of science indexed journals.
• You present your recent findings in international workshops and conferences.
• You are willing to assist in teaching activities of the courses in statistics or guide master students in their master thesis (max. 10%).
• You are willing to prepare a research proposal to acquire additional funding.
  
  

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on October 1, 2024 but this is negotiable and flexible .
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits (in Dutch).
• An exciting research environment, working on the intersection of theory and application in the multi-disciplinary research environment at Ghent University.
• A Ph.D. title in Bioscience Engineering: Mathematical Modelling (after approximately 4 years of successful research).
• The possibility to participate in international conferences and collaborations..

Job profile

• We are looking for highly creative and motivated students with the following qualifications and skills:
• You have (or will obtain in the next months) a (European) master’s degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, (bio) Engineering or equivalent, with excellent ('honors'-level) grades (“great distinction” on average).
• You have a strong background in at least one of the following: probabilistic modelling, mathematical statistics or machine learning and are eager to advance the state-of-the-art.
• You have scientific programming skills. Knowledge of the languages R and/or Python is an asset.
• You have mastered the English language, both in writing skills and oral presentations.
• You take initiative in searching for new research ideas and you are not afraid to be critical about your own work.
• You are highly motivated, hardworking, and able to work independently but also as part of an interdisciplinary research team.

How to apply

Apply by sending an e-mail to stijn.luca@ugent.be with as subject “vacancy BIOSTAT”. Your application must include the following documents attached to the mail:

Professional resume (CV) named as: CV_”family name”

Motivation letter named as: MotivationLetter_”Family name”

Diploma and transcripts of records (BSc and MSc) named as: Transcripts_”family name”

Full contact details (Name, address, telephone & email) of at least 1 professional referee.

Application deadline is 15/09/2024. However, there will be a continuous evaluation of the candidates until the vacancy is filled. The application may therefore be closed before this deadline.