Chair of Junior Professor in Autonomous Embedded Systems Based on AI

Job description

About the position

Contract type: Chaire de Professeur Junior[1]. Successful applicants will first be hired on a ‘CDD de projet’ contract and tenure will occur at IMT Professor level.

Location: IMT Atlantique, Brest campus

Key words: Embedded systems, autonomous systems, algorithm-architecture optimization, Artificial intelligence, digital communications, processors, hardware accelerators, energy efficiency, hardware security.

Thematic and research challenges

The fast-growing field of autonomous embedded systems, boosted by advances in artificial intelligence (AI), represents a major breakthrough in current scientific research. These systems, characterised by their ability to perform specific functions with minimal human intervention, are increasingly becoming an integral part of a wide range of applications, from automotive safety and intelligent objects to mobile networks and industrial automation. The evolution of these systems marks a paradigm shift in the way devices interact with the world around them, requiring a multidisciplinary research approach to fully exploit their potential.

The open position will contribute to this field by developing innovative methodologies and solutions within the Algorithm-Architecture Interaction (2AI) team. Hosted in the Mathematical and Electrical Engineering (MEE) department of IMT Atlantique, the 2AI team is engaged in designing original architectures for algorithm integration in information processing and contributes to the development of these algorithms by incorporating architectural constraints. It maintains strong industry connections through collaborative research projects, bilateral contracts, and CIFRE PhD programs, and actively participates in the Pracom industrial chair, fostering close links with industry partners.

Contributing to the field of autonomous embedded systems based on AI encompasses diverse scientific avenues. The 2AI team outlines few key examples of interest below, yet eagerly encourages candidates to bring forward complementary or novel approaches that may not be listed:

• Digital Communications: integrate advanced coding and modulation techniques optimized for AI-based autonomous embedded systems to ensure fast and reliable data exchange.
• Energy Efficiency: explore innovative designs that minimize energy consumption in hardware accelerators and embedded processors without sacrificing performance.
• Processing-in-Memory: investigate how emerging memory technologies and computing paradigms can enhance the efficiency of autonomous systems.
• Distributed Learning: address the challenges of implementing adaptive learning models in resource-constrained autonomous multi-agent systems to optimize performance over time.
• Security: develop secure hardware architectures focusing on mitigating vulnerabilities and enhancing response to physical security threats.

Beyond the research environment granted by IMT Atlantique and the 2AI team, including access to computing resources, design tools, embedded platforms and libraries for FPGA and ASIC technologies, the successful candidate will benefit from a dedicated research grant of 250 000€ to develop his/her research track in an international context and strengthen the team's profile on the academic and industrial scenes.

Eco-system and context:

IMT Atlantique internationally recognized for the quality of its research, is a leading technological university ranked in the three main international rankings (THE, SHANGHAI, QS).

IMT Atlantique has privileged relationships with major industrial national and international partners, as well as a dense network of SME, start-ups and innovation networks. With 290 permanent faculty members, 2000 students among which 300 PhD students, IMT Atlantique produces every year 1000 publications and raises 18M€ of research funding.

The position is opened at IMT Atlantique-Brest campus, within the MEE Department and attached to the CNRS Research Unit Lab-STICC.

Education:

The education program of IMT Atlantique has been recognized as one of the most innovative in French High Education and Research and offers large possibilities of developing innovative engineering curriculum and educational approach.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of training courses of a new international Master's degree in embedded AI. He/She will be invited to propose new educational projects, programs and methodologies, especially inspired by and supported by industrial and institutional requirements and partnerships.

[1] As defined by Article L952-6-2 of the French Education Code

Job requirements

Expected competences:

We welcome high-profile candidates with a PhD and demonstrated contributions in the fields of embedded systems, including a proven record of publications in top-tier conferences and journals, with strong skills in hardware design and/or software development, and a strong interest in embedded AI and the algorithm-architecture optimization approach.

The candidate will have to demonstrate his/her ability to develop and conduct high-impact research activities at the crossroads of autonomous embedded systems and artificial intelligence, within the interdisciplinary environment offered by IMT Atlantique and the 2AI team.

Particular and complementary emphasis will be placed on candidate’s ability to develop multidisciplinary projects while demonstrating their awareness of the challenges of sustainable development.

The chair holder will actively engage in Open Science including publishing in Open Access journals, publishing experimental data as well as developing open data challenges.

In addition, please carefully read the generic competencies expected of candidates for Associate professor positions at IMT Atlantique at the following address: https://www.imt-atlantique.fr/en/about/work/faculty-member/skills-full-professor

Indicators for monitoring the deployment of the project and the methodology for their monitoring

The Chair holder will update his/her scientific strategy and success indicators (publications, prizes and awards, financial management, recruitments, valorization of research results) on a yearly basis. A formalized interview, containing follow-up indicators, will be carried out annually with a scientific manager in order to follow the evolution of the work and the concordance of the results with the targeted goals. The interview will conclude with the definition of improvement actions concerning the scientific strategy and the good management of human and financial resources. Intermediate meetings may be agreed upon if necessary.

Success indicators at the end of the tenure track period

• Scientific advising: 5 (co)-advised PhDs (defended or ongoing)
• Scientific production:
  • 10 publications in major international scientific journals, top-tier international conferences in embedded systems (e.g., DAC, DATE) and/or patents.
  • 15-20 presentations in international conferences.
• Individual excellence: submission of an ERC starting grant, ANR JCJC or EIC PathFinder project
• Participation and active contribution to local, national and international research animation (e.g., French GDRs SOC2 and IASIS)
• Partnership dynamics
  • Submission as a principal contributor of collaborative projects at European or national level (project or Work-package leader)
  • Development of a research collaboration with international partnerships
• Teaching dynamics: Development/Management of a course, development of online teaching resources

Recruitment calendar and contact

Deadline for applications: October 15th, 2024

Date of recruitment interview: November, 2024

Starting date: Early 2025

For any further information, please contact:

Pr Samir SAOUDI, Head of MEE department

samir.saoudi@imt-atlantique.fr , +33 229 001 179,

Pr Amer BAGHDADI - Professor

amer.baghdadi@imt-atlantique.fr, +33 229 001 037

Pr Matthieu ARZEL - Professor

matthieu.arzel@imt-atlantique.fr, +33 229 001 311

Application form to download and attach to your application form