Postdoctoral fellowship (1 year) within Large-scale Computational Design Optimization methods at computing science at Umeå university - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Computing Science at Umeå University announces a stipend for postdoctoral research in Computational Science and Engineering for a project that aims at developing large-scale, computational design optimization methods. The scholarship is full-time for 1 year starting January 13, 2025, or by agreement.

Department of Computing Science

The Department of Computing science is characterized by world-leading research in a multitude of scientific fields. The department has been growing rapidly in recent years where focus on an inclusive and bottom-up driven environment are key elements in our sustainable growth. Our department consists of a diverse group from different nationalities, backgrounds and fields.
See more information at: https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-computing-science/

The research group on Computational Design Optimization investigates the use of numerical simulations—typically finite-element or finite-difference methods—combined with optimization algorithms to carry out engineering design of various devices. Fluid-mechanics systems, elastic structures, and wave-propagation devices such as antennas and loudspeaker components are examples of devices that we have designed using such tools. The design optimization group has for many years pushed the boundaries of the research field in a multifaceted way through theoretical investigations, methods development, as well as new applications in cooperation with academic and industrial partners. The group connects researchers from Umeå University, Karlstad University, and Skogforsk. For examples of the group’s publication output, see https://www.umu.se/forskning/grupper/design-optimization/

Project description

The area of Computational Design Optimization is rapidly developing and is a natural part of the ongoing industrial digitalization. Modern production techniques, such as additive manufacturing, enable cost-effective production of complex designs. To take full advantage of these production techniques, new software tools are needed to effectively solve large-scale design optimization problems.

These optimization problems are typically very compute intensive and benefit from the rapid evolution of high-performance computing hardware. Today, such systems are highly heterogeneous and rely increasingly on Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) acceleration to reach top performance. This development strongly affects the development of suitable algorithms. Also, high-performance computing systems are major energy consumers, requiring innovations, against the backdrop of increasing carbon footprint and energy costs, both in terms of hardware and software.

This project concentrates on the software aspects of large-scale computational design optimization with the objectives to:

• develop highly efficient compute kernels for key routines, customized for modern, heterogeneous high-performance computing systems, considering both execution time and energy consumption,
• address and solve specific design optimization problems, such as the design of passive heat sinks for cooling.

There will be ample opportunities to interact with the research carried out by the postdoc mentors and their colleagues within CEEC, the Canter of Excellence in Computational Fluid Dynamics (https://ceec-coe.eu), financed by the European HPC Joint Undertaking.The scholarship projects are financed by the Kempe foundation. The scholarship is for one year with a starting date as agreed. The scholarship amounts to 350 000 SEK per year (around 28 500 euro). The scholarship is not subject to tax.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

To qualify as a post doctoral scholarship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirements must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient. Specifically, the doctoral degree should be in a subject relevant to the project, such as Computational Science and Engineering, Mathematics, Computing Science, or a field of applications such as Mechanical Engineering with a strong computational focus.

Priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.

The applicant should exhibit strong motivation and interest in developing new competencies and thriving in an international environment. The ability to implement the methods discussed above and produce high-quality scientific publications is essential. Proficiency in English, both spoken and written, is a must. The primary assessment criteria for selection include scientific skills, suitability for the project, and a demonstrated ability to work both collaboratively and independently.

Experience in High-Performance Computing and/or large-scale gradient-based optimisation methods is an advantage.

Application

A full application should include:

• Cover letter introducing yourself, your previous research, your interest in the position, and you may also write something about your future professional goals,
• Curriculum vitae (CV) with publication list,
• Verified copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation that clarifies when the degree of doctor is expected to be obtained,
• Verified copies of other diplomas, list of completed academic courses and grades,
• Copy of doctoral thesis and up to 2 relevant articles,
• Other documents that the applicant wishes to claim.
• Contact information to two persons willing to act as references.

The application must be written in either English or Swedish and must be sent via Umeå University's e-recruitment system (Varbi). The deadline for applications is December 11, 2024.

Further details are provided by Martin Berggren, martin.berggren@cs.umu.se, +46 70 732 8111, or Eddie Wadbro, eddie.wadbro@cs.umu.se, + 46 73-356 24 20