Doctoral Researcher in Vision-Language-Action Models

About us

The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character.

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg is a leading international research and innovation centre in secure, reliable and trustworthy ICT systems and services.
We play an instrumental role in Europe by fueling innovation through research partnerships with industry, boosting R&D investments leading to economic growth, and attracting highly qualified talent. We look for researchers from diverse academic backgrounds to contribute to our projects in areas such as: Network Security, Information Assurance, Model-driven Security, Cloud Computing, Cryptography, Satellite Systems, Vehicular Networks, and ICT Services & Applications.

Your role

• Conducting research on a predefined topic and producing results
• Disseminating results through scientific publications and/or patents
• Proposing and implementing innovative and concrete solutions
• Providing support in setting up and running experiments
• Participating in proposal writing
• Participating in organizing relevant workshops and demonstrations
• Participating in outreach activities to promote SnT's research activities and citizen science

This attractive PhD position is in close collaboration with our industrial partner, POST Luxembourg (https://www.post.lu). POST is the leading postal, telecommunications, and ICT operator in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, investing in digital innovation and advanced technologies to deliver reliable and trustworthy services to citizens and businesses. The successful candidate will join the Computer Vision, Imaging, and Machine Intelligence (CVI²) research group (https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/research-groups/cvi2/) led by Prof. Djamila Aouada, to pursue a PhD in Computer Vision, with a focus on multimodal reasoning and Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models for autonomous driving. The research will aim to enhance the safety, generalization, and efficiency of VLA-based driving systems, in particular their robustness to rare and novel scenarios, their capacity for long-horizon reasoning, and their efficient inference for real-world deployment. The candidate will conduct research on predefined topics that contribute to SnT's and POST's R&D activities. This position will require conducting full-scale research, from reviewing state-of-the-art methods to implementing and validating tangible solutions and disseminating results.

Your profile

• Master's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, applied mathematics, or a related field
• Strong background in image/signal processing, and in particular, computer vision
• Strong programming skills in Python/C/C++/MATLAB
• Familiarity with machine learning and deep learning concepts
• Experience with at least one of the following deep learning frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch
• Experience with multimodal learning, vision-language models (VLMs), large language models, or autonomous driving perception and planning would be a strong asset
• Strong background in applied mathematics
• Capacity to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced research environment

Language Requirements:

Applicants must demonstrate at least B2-level proficiency in the language of their thesis. For details and accepted certificates, please visit the Application for admission - Doctoral Candidates.

We offer

• A modern, dynamic university with a personal and inclusive atmosphere. Multilingual and international character. Staff coming from more than 90 countries. Member of The Guild of European Research Intensive Universities
• An exceptional research environment, supported by skilled staff and high-quality equipment. Strong links to professional sectors and the Luxembourg labour market. A unique urban campus with excellent infrastructure
• A partner for society and industry. Cooperation with European institutions, innovative companies, the Financial Centre and a wide range of non-academic partners including ministries, local governments, associations, and NGOs

How to apply

Applications should include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter presenting your motivation for this doctoral thesis topic, and explaining how your qualifications and aspirations align with its academic focus
• Transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses taken
• Research statement and topics of particular interest to the candidate (300 words)
• Preferably, sharing a GitHub/GitLab webpage listing completed projects in Computer Vision

Early application is highly encouraged, as the applications will be processed upon reception. Please apply ONLINE formally through the HR system. Applications by Email will not be considered.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. In line with our values, the University of Luxembourg promotes an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are dedicated to upholding equality and respect for our employees and students.

General information:

• Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month
• Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week
• Location: Kirchberg Campus
• Internal Title: Doctoral Researcher
• Job Reference: UOL08273

The yearly gross salary for every Doctoral researcher at the UL is EUR 43445 (full time).