Pázmány Péter Catholic University

5 months ago

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PhD in AI-Enhanced Epidemiological Modeling and Control at Pázmány Péter Catholic University Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Hungary

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

not provided

Funding

Fully funded PhD position for 3 to 4 years with a competitive scholarship/stipend of approximately 1500-2100 EUR. Funding includes access to HPC infrastructure, travel support for international conferences, consortium meetings, and possible research stays with partner institutions.

Deadline

Expired

Country

Hungary

University

Pázmány Péter Catholic University

About this position

PhD opportunity in AI-enhanced epidemiological modeling and control at Pázmány Péter Catholic University (Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics), Budapest, Hungary.

The position is part of the Horizon Europe AURORAI project, focused on advancing pandemic preparedness and response through high-quality data and AI. The research sits at the intersection of machine learning, control theory, agent-based modeling, simulation, data science, applied mathematics, and high-performance computing.

The successful PhD candidate will work with the PPKE Epidemic Modeling Group and collaborate with experts including Prof. Gábor Szederkényi, Prof. Attila Csikász-Nagy, Prof. István Reguly, and Dr. Péter Polcz. The project uses the PanSIM agent-based microsimulation framework to develop AI-driven outbreak prediction and control strategies, including reinforcement learning and model predictive control for evaluating public health interventions.

Research interests include epidemic modeling, population dynamics, mobility data, decentralized data spaces, simulation scaling, and data-driven intervention planning. The role also involves interfacing Python ML tools with a C++ simulation core and contributing to national-scale modeling workflows.

Funding: fully funded for 3-4 years, with a competitive stipend of approximately 1500-2100 EUR. Additional support includes access to HPC infrastructure, conference travel, consortium meetings, and possible research stays.

Eligibility highlights: applicants should hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) by the start date, have strong mathematical foundations, solid Python/ML skills, and English proficiency. A working knowledge of C++ is required or expected to be learned quickly. EU/EEA citizenship or the right to work in Hungary is noted in the announcement.

Deadline: 31 May 2026. Start date: September 2026.

How to apply: send a single PDF containing your CV, cover letter, and 1-2 academic references to [email protected] with the subject line PhD Application – AURORAI.

Funding details

What's required

A Master's degree or equivalent by the starting date in Control Engineering, Machine Learning/Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Bioengineering, or a related interdisciplinary field. Applicants should have solid mathematical foundations in at least one of machine learning, control theory, optimization, or dynamical systems, strong proficiency in Python and ML ecosystems such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Scikit-learn, and a working knowledge of or willingness to learn C++. Experience with complex datasets, statistical analysis, and dynamic systems modeling is required. English proficiency is required. Desirable experience includes mathematical epidemiology, population dynamics, complex systems, agent-based models, HPC, parallelization, and AI-based coding tools. The position requires the right to work in Hungary, with EU/EEA citizenship noted in the post.