Doctoral Researcher in Computational Science (project)

The Faculty of Information Technology is seeking a Doctoral Researcher (PhD student) for the project “Anti-fragile Decision-making: tHink beYonD Robustness And resilience” (HYDRA), funded by the Research Council of Finland and supervised by Dr. Babooshka Shavazipour as part of the Multiobjective Optimization Group at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

The position will start on September 1, 2024 (or as soon as possible thereafter) and until August 31, 2028.

The HYDRA project aims to support decision-makers in being well-prepared for the continuously changing future and making sustainable and anti-fragile decisions. The focus is on handling deep uncertainty and better preparation for the future. The architecture to be developed renews the perspective of decision-making under uncertainty to think beyond robustness and resilience and look for opportunities to benefit from volatilities. This comprehensive architecture does not only rely on history and unreliable predictions. It also considers less probable and rare events and consequences of the decisions, supports simultaneous consideration of multiple objectives, provides adaptive pathways to avoid fragility and continuous performance improvement in the long-term planning horizon, and will be validated in real-life applications.

Tasks and qualifications

We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher, preferably with a background in energy systems modeling/supply chain, excellent programming skills, and familiarity with (multiobjective) optimization to perform their PhD research in the strategic planning of green energy supply chains under deep uncertainty and develop and test a novel decision support prototype for sustainable and anti-fragile planning in green energy supply chain management, using the structure and methods developed in HYDRA. The doctoral researcher is expected to conduct research and complete courses for a doctoral degree in computational science. 

We expect you to have

• MSc degree in an applicable scientific field (e.g., Sustainable Energy Systems, Computational Science, Industrial management, Operations Research, Economics and Business Administration)
• Experience in at least one of the following fields and willingness to learn the others: sustainable/renewable/green energy systems, deep uncertainty, robust optimization, multiobjective/multicriteria optimization
• A high proficiency in spoken and written English
• Excellent programming skills (preferably Python)
• Interest in studying and completing a doctoral degree in the Faculty of Information Technology is required.
• Having at least one publication in a relevant field is considered an asset. The position is, however, suitable for a beginner doctoral researcher.

The duties, qualification requirements, and language skills of doctoral researchers are stipulated by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, the Rector's decision on personnel matters, and language skills guidelines. The MSc degree must have been completed before starting the position. The study right for a postgraduate degree required in the position is applied for from the Faculty of Information Technology after selection unless the applicant already has one.

Requirements for doctoral studies and general admission criteria. Please note, application instructions for doctoral studies don’t apply to Doctoral Researchers chosen for the employment relationship; Instructions to apply for study rights will be given to chosen persons separately.

What do we offer?

We offer a wide range of staff benefits, such as occupational health care, flexible working hours, excellent sports facilities on campus, and several restaurants and cafés on campus with staff discounts. Finland provides one of the most advanced and comprehensive social security in the world. It includes for example sickness benefits, various family benefits, and a comprehensive healthcare system. Please read more about working at the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä, and living in Finland. See the University's International Staff Guide.

Salary

The annual salary will be approximately 30,000 EUR for the Doctoral Researcher (gross income). With progress of thesis work, the salary will be revised in accordance with the Collective Agreement of Finnish Education Employers.

A trial period of six months will be used at the beginning of the employment.

How to apply

The application should include:

1) Motivation letter including a statement of research interests, motivation to work on the project research topic and how their experiences can be help reaching the project ambitious aims.

2) CV, which should be written according to good scientific practice and in accordance with the following CV template, as far as possible: Template for researcher's curriculum vitae | Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK

3) Certificate of completion of master’s studies and transcript of academic record

4) Contact information for two persons as references. For example, the thesis supervisors

Further information: 

For the position and how to apply, please contact HR Partner Elina Korhonen, it-hr-servicecentre@jyu.fi. For more information about the topic, please contact Dr. Babooshka Shavazipour, babooshka.b.shavazipour@jyu.fi.

Upon the consent of the applicant, a background check can be made on the person to be appointed (Security Clearance Act 726/2014). For more information on the background check and the rights of the subject of the check, see: https://www.supo.fi/en

The university follows the recommendations for the responsible evaluation of a researcher in Finland. 

Faculty of Information Technology

At the University of Jyväskylä, everyone can find their place in the human-centered environment of 2,600 experts and 14,500 students. Our goal is to create wisdom and well-being for us all. It is essential that each member of the community thrives and has opportunities to develop and grow. We cherish openness of thinking as well as the balance between research and education. Our naturally beautiful campus is located at the heart of the city of Jyväskylä. JYU is the third-largest employer in Central Finland. 

You can get to know the beautiful campus areas of the University of Jyväskylä by watching this video: Kampuselämää Jyväskylän yliopistossa - University campus life at JYU - YouTube. 

The Faculty of Information Technology at the University of Jyväskylä is the first and largest in its field in Finland. The mission of the faculty is to create a science-based digital future. In research, education, and stakeholder collaboration, the faculty combines comprehensively the viewpoints of technology, information, organizations, business, and people.  Teaching is given both in Finnish and in English. Strong collaboration with companies and other actors in society is based on long-term research. The faculty’s research is organized through four areas of activity, which are computational science, engineering, information systems science, and learning and cognitive science. The faculty traditionally has degree programs in the natural sciences and business, in addition to which new degree programs in technology have been launched. Multidisciplinarity is concrete within our faculty, and the surrounding multidisciplinary university provides a fertile ground for various research openings and other collaborations.

The faculty is located on the scenic Mattilanniemi campus by the lake. You can find more information about the faculty’s activities on our website. Please take a special look at our research activities and curricula.

Location: Seminaarinkatu 15, Jyväskylä

Information for the applicant

The application form cannot be saved as draft. However, after submitting you can return to edit your application via the link you receive by email. The application can be edited until the application deadline.

You have 6 hours to complete your application before the timeout.