项目介绍

2024年12月18日

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

Doctoral position in AI for Software Engineering

The department of Computer Science and Engineering is strongly international, with approximately 300 employees from over 30 countries. The department is a fully integrated department with the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology as principals. The department of Computer Science and Engineering is now looking for a doctoral student. The position is placed in the Division for Interaction Design and Software Engineering at the department, with the University of Gothenburg as the employer.

Located in Gothenburg – Sweden’s second-largest city – the department is surrounded by a vibrant ecosystem of software-intensive companies. The department is connected to science parks in Gothenburg for industrial collaborations in fields including intelligent vehicles and transport systems, mobile internet, energy, nanotechnology, and life sciences.

 
The successful candidate will conduct research under the supervision of Prof. Miroslaw Staron and work in tight collaboration with world-class researchers in the Interaction Design and Software Engineering Division at Chalmers and University of Gothenburg. In particular, the division has a strong software development and AI Engineering focus, which is a part of the Software Center (www.software-center.se).

Machine Learning (ML) uses big data to enable software algorithms to “learn” complex patterns in data, solving difficult problems such as recognizing images and diagnosing cancer. In software engineering, machine learning has led to a few groundbreaking technologies like Github CoPilot, ChatGPT, DALL-E, and large programming language models. These new technologies have led to an enormous increase in productivity within requirements engineering, programming, designing, and testing software systems.

The goal of this project is to study, develop, and evaluate large language models (like GPT-3/4) in software development, with a focus on programming and software design. We will study how these large language models can help the contemporary software industry become more productive and competitive globally. We will develop new technology that will help software engineers use large language models that can include advanced design concepts in their responses (e.g., design patterns). We will study opportunities and obstacles and construct new tools and methods to overcome them.

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university’s doctoral student pages. 
https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies  

Duties   

Doctoral studies comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree.    

As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period, and result in a corresponding extension of the studies. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.  

This project requires developing new software engineering tools, training, testing, and deploying large language models, as well as collaborating closely with software development organizations to evaluate these tools. The candidate must be prepared to spend time both at the university and on the premises of the collaborating companies both in Sweden and in Europe. Successful candidates will read, review, and write research papers, give presentations, take courses, conduct systematic literature reviews, design and conduct empirical studies, interact with industrial companies, and perform quantitative and qualitative data analysis.  The student will become familiar with, evaluate, and apply techniques related to artificial intelligence for software engineering and will become familiar with the space of machine learning (ML), including different algorithms, contexts, data preparation strategies, and challenges.  Although the focus is primarily on research, the candidate will also be involved in teaching and administration, including course assistance, membership on committees, and supervision of bachelor’s and master’s theses.   The aim is to prepare the candidate to be a successful, independent researcher

Eligibility   

Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.  

The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are:    

1. having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
2. the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or  
3. the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad. 

Specific entry requirements for this subject, according to the general syllabus, are: 

To be qualified for admission to third-cycle program in Computer Science and Engineering the applicant is required to have obtained a second-cycle qualification. The orientation of the student’s degree shall have a sufficiently close connection to the subject of computer science and engineering.

Equivalent requirements apply to individuals awarded their degree in a country other than Sweden.

Further desirable but not mandatory criteria include previous research experience, including publications in international, peer-reviewed venues; a Master’s degree in a related subject; expertise in software engineering with a focus on Python; knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning; and knowledge of requirements engineering, including concepts and techniques.

The candidate must be prepared to work directly with software development organizations and to be able to visit their premises when needed.

The candidate is expecte to have advanced English skills in reading and writing, equivalent to at least C1 level in English of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Assessment criteria   

The selection of applicants who meet the basic and specific eligibility requirements will be based on the ability to assimilate the doctoral studies.   

Employment   

Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.   

The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100.    

Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time.  

A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at doctoral level for four years.   

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.   

Type of employment: Fixed-term employment, HF 5 kap 7§
Extent: 100% full time
Location: Department of Computer Science and Engineering, division of Interaction Design and Software Engineering
First day of employment: 2025-04-01 or according to agreement

Contact information 

Information regarding the project, please contact Miroslaw Staron miroslaw.staron@gu.se
Information regarding the position, please contact Eric Knauss eric.knauss@gu.se
Regarding the appointment procedure, please contact Sanna Staf sanna.staf@cse.gu.se

Unions 

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:   
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande   

Application   

You can apply to be admitted to doctoral education via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal.   

It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per this notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.   

The application is to be written in English.

Applications must be received by: 2025-02-28

Information for International Applicants 

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: 

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services 
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/