ERC PhD position in generative-AI-based automated synthesis of analog integrated circuits

You can contribute to advancing the state of the art in a very dynamic and innovating environment. The PhD research will be carried out under the guidance of Prof. Georges Gielen (https://www.esat.kuleuven.be/micas/index.php/georges-gielen), who was awarded the AnalogCreate ERC Advanced Grant and who is an expert in the design and design automation of analog/mixed-signal integrated electronic circuits. The work will be performed in the ESAT-MICAS (Microelectronics and Sensors) research group at the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) at KU Leuven, Europe’s most innovative university (Reuters, since 2016 till now). ESAT-MICAS is internationally renowned for its wide range of research, education and valorization activities in integrated electronics (https://www.esat.kuleuven.be/micas/). MICAS has over 80 researchers (postdocs and PhD students) from many different countries and offers a dynamic, thriving and interdisciplinary environment on a wide portfolio of research projects.
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Project

Within the frame of the ERC Advanced Research Grant “AnalogCreate” (https://www.kuleuven.be/english/research/EU/p/horizon2020/es/erc/analogcreate) of Prof. Georges Gielen, several PhD positions and one postdoc position are available. Analog, mixed-signal and RF electronic circuits are essential in many applications like IoT, biomedical, automotive, etc. Yet, their design remains time consuming and error prone due to the analog complexity and the lack of automation. The overall goal of the AnalogCreate ERC AdG research program is to drastically increase the productivity, optimality and correctness of designing integrated analog electronic circuits. The novelty of the research is to explore and apply generative AI techniques to carry out the synthesis.

This job opening covers a PhD research position (4 years) in the frame of the AnalogCreate ERC project. The candidate will investigate and explore novel techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI in particular towards the automated synthesis of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits. The candidate will have to prototype and validate the methods on actual designs.

Profile

Additional research/development experience in any of the following topics is a plus:

• hands-on experience in programming
• hands-on experience in design of (analog/mixed-signal) integrated circuits
• hands-on experience with methods of optimization and/or machine learning/AI

Candidates should be motivated, independent, show critical thinking and scientific curiosity, and should have strong team-player skills.

Required background: Master in Electrical Engineering, Master in Nano Engineering or Master in Computer Science with PROVEN knowledge of analog/mixed-signal integrated electronic circuits besides the mastering of programming/CAD and AI techniques.

Excellent proficiency in the English language is required, as well as good communication skills, both oral and written.

Offer

The position offers :

• A PhD scholarship for 4 years, with a competitive monthly stipend
• An exciting interdisciplinary research environment at KU Leuven, Europe’s most innovative university
• The possibility to participate in international conferences and collaborations
• The possibility to interact with industry

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. ir. Georges Gielen, mail: georges.gielen@kuleuven.be, tel.: +32 16 32 40 76.

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