Eindhoven University of Technology
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PhD in Efficient Online Optimization and Safe Bayesian Learning for Distributed Control Eindhoven University of Technology in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. Salary is according to the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P, ranging from €3,204 to €4,051 gross base salary per month for full-time employment. The position includes an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% year-end bonus, pension benefits, leave, commuting and home-working allowances, and other employee benefits.
Deadline
Dec 4, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Eindhoven University of Technology
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About this position
Eindhoven University of Technology is seeking a PhD candidate for a primarily theoretical project on efficient online optimization in large-scale, distributed and safety-critical systems.
The research will combine safe Bayesian optimization, online learning and distributed estimation to enable systems with changing objectives and constraints to learn and optimize while operating. The candidate will develop adaptive sampling strategies that track moving optima, distributed learning and optimization schemes for agents with partial information, and methods for decomposing surrogate models across time and space.
A central focus is the development of rigorous convergence, regret and safety guarantees for constrained, non-stationary optimization. The work will draw on online learning, Gaussian processes, distributed estimation and control theory, connecting these tools to create new algorithms for networked systems that operate without a central coordinator.
The resulting theory will be implemented and experimentally validated with the Control Systems group at TU/e. Applications include UAV reference tracking and obstacle avoidance in the group's drone laboratory, as well as temperature control in a real residential building at the NEST facility in Dübendorf, Switzerland. The project is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Marta Zagorowska from TU Delft and other partners in Switzerland.
The PhD candidate will join TU/e's interdisciplinary research environment on intelligent and responsible control of networked systems, contribute to publications in control, optimization and machine learning, and present results internationally.
Funding details
Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. Salary is according to the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P, ranging from €3,204 to €4,051 gross base salary per month for full-time employment. The position includes an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% year-end bonus, pension benefits, leave, commuting and home-working allowances, and other employee benefits.
What's required
A master's degree or equivalent university degree in Control Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Mathematics. Candidates who are still completing an MSc in one of these fields should state their expected graduation date in the cover letter. Applicants should have a research-oriented attitude and curiosity, motivation to develop teaching and student-coaching skills, programming knowledge in Python or Julia, and fluent spoken and written English at C1 level.
How to apply
Apply online using the position's Apply button. Submit a cover letter describing your motivation and qualifications, plus a CV containing your publications and the contact details of three references. Applications sent by email or post will not be processed.
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.