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One postdoc position within the ERC Advanced Grant project "Algorithmic and
Mechanism Design Research in Online Markets" (AMDROMA) led by Stefano
Leonardi is available at Sapienza University of Rome.

The project AMDROMA considers research questions in algorithms and
mechanism design that are central for large-scale online markets. The focus
of the work will be on the development of new algorithmic data analysis
methods for online and streaming computation in clustering and matching.
The project also intends to apply these new methods to provide algorithmic
solutions for online market applications under various constraints such as
fairness, privacy, truthfulness, etc. The research will focus on
theoretical investigation, data driven modeling, and experimental
validation.

The research work will be carried on under the supervision of Prof. Stefano
Leonardi and Dr. Chris Schwiegelshohn.


Postdocs of AMDROMA are expected to contribute in defining research
problems of interest of the project, finding and analyzing novel solutions,
writing research papers, and collaborating with PhD students and other
postdoctoral researchers. Applicants should hold a PhD or be close to
complete a PhD in computer science, computer engineering, or related
fields.

There are two levels for the position: Junior and Senior Postdoctoral
Researcher. Fresh PhDs will be considered for the first level and everybody
else for both levels.


The position can start as soon as possible. The position can be extended up
to three years. Salary is competitive at the European level.


Applications including a CV and a statement of research should be sent to

Stefano Leonardi leonardi@diag.uniroma1.it

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Integrated models for the dimensioning and location of charging electric vehicles stations in the presence of renewable energy sources: Models and Algorithms

Luce Brotcorne
INRIA
Contact: Luce.Brotcorne@inria.fr

OVERVIEW
We are seeking candidates for a 1-year post-doctoral fellowship position starting autumn 2019 to work in the INOCS team at INRIA Lille Nord-Europe (https://team.inria.fr/inocs/).
This fellowship is part of a PGMO project (Gaspard Monge Program for Optimization, Operations Research and their interactions with Data Science).
The project is a joint project between INRIA Lille (Luce Brotcorne), University of Edinburgh (Miguel Anjos) and EDF (Riadh Zorgati).

GOALS
The purpose of this project is to locate and determine the number of charging stations to be installed in motorway service areas, taking into account the behaviour of road users and the expected quality of service. We consider that charging stations can include a local renewable energy production source as well as a battery to store energy.
The goal of the project is to develop integrated models for the problem as well as matheuristics algorithms to address large instances and instances based real life data.

SPECIFICATIONS
The candidate must have a PhD in Computer Science, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics. The candidate should demonstrate a solid background in mathematical programming.
Computer science skills in algorithmic and C/C++ development are also required. Knowledgement in stochastic programming is highly desirable.


How to Apply: The candidate must send by email until September 30, 2019 the following documents:

* Curriculum vitae with a list of publications, and previous experience.
* A recommendation letter from a previous supervisor (sent directly to Luce Brotcorne)
* A cover letter for the application.

All documents must be sent to Luce Brotcorne at Luce.Brotcorne@inria.fr

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The Max Planck Institute for Informatics is looking for excellent
female computer scientists, offering them PostDoc positions to develop
their scientific ideas without exertion of influence. The PostDoc
positions are funded by the Lise Meitner Award. It is a two-year
tax-free postdoctoral research fellowship including business expenses.
This grant is according to the fellowship rules of the Max Planck
Society: it usually amounts to 3,000 Euro/month and is completed by
compensation for business expenses of 10,000 Euro/year.

Fellows will be chosen based on the strength of their academic
background and research credentials. Applications should include a CV,
a cover letter, a publication list, a short research plan (one page is
enough), and two references, that will be contacted later to provide
recommendation letters.

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Optit (www.optit.net) is looking for young talents in OR to reinforce its OR team.
You will join a fast growing group of skilled OR specialist, working closely with data scientists (BI, ML, ..), a full stack internal SW development factory and business consultants, to qualify, design, develop and deliver top notch DSS in Energy & Utilities, Logistics and Transportation, Services and other industries, in Italy and abroad.
We expect good modelling and implementation skills, passion for innovation and application of OR in the real world, teamworking and entrepreneurship. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, growth opportunities, international vision.
Our offices are based in Bologna and Cesena, but we may consider adoption of flexible smart working approach.

E-mail: jobs@optit.net

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Multiple Postdoc positions available at Université libre de Bruxelles
(ULB), Brussels, Belgium

Flexible start date. Research will be conducted within the Algorithms Group
(http://algo.ulb.be/).

The positions would be to work on a project entitled “Efficient data
structures and algorithms for modern computing devices in the age of big
data.” with Prof. John Iacono (http://di.ulb.ac.be/algo/iacono/).
Candidates are expected to have expertise and a history of publications in
one or more of the following: algorithms, data structures, algorithm
engineering, algorithms for modern hardware.

Applications (cover letter and CV) should be sent to postdoc@JohnIacono.com.

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Development of an integrated decision support system (DSS) for the management of irrigation distribution systems.
The aim is to obtain an increase in crop yield, minimize water waste and optimize the functioning of the hydraulic network by means of appropriate optimal irrigation scheduling.

Reference e-mail: cristiana.bragalli@unibo.it

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Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) (Amsterdam) has vacancies in the Networks and Optimization research group for two talented PhD students / Early Stage Researchers on the subject of Polynomial Optimization, Efficiency through Moments and Algebra within the research consortium POEMA.

POEMA is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (2019-2022), which offers 15 PhD positions within the full consortium, including two at CWI. Its goal is to train scientists at the interplay of algebra, geometry and computer science for polynomial optimization problems and to foster scientific and technological advances, stimulating interdisciplinary and intersectoriality knowledge exchange between algebraists, geometers, computer scientists and industrial actors facing real-life optimization problems.

The proposed PhD projects are investigating the development of new algebraic and geometric methods combined with computer algebra techniques for global non-linear optimization problems and their applications. The PhD positions at CWI will focus on polynomial optimization problems with applications to combinatorial optimization and quantum information theory.

The positions are expected to start from October 2019 (at the latest per 1 January 2020).

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Microlise is one of Europe's largest telematics and transport management
solutions providers with the HQ in Nottingham, Our mission is to empower
our customers such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, DHL, ASDA, Waitrose, Co-op, Eddie
Stobart, Royal mail, MAN, DAF, TATA to reduce their costs and environmental
impact by maximising the efficiency of their transportation operations. We
achieve this with our great employees who continue to develop and deploy
innovative, industry-leading technology solutions and services that enable
our customers to optimise fleet utilisation and driver performance, to
reduce costs and to improve service delivery.

The Data Science and Research team which consists of four PhD-level Data
Scientists, a Junior Data Scientist and a senior Research Programmer
collaborate with a number of universities on various R&D projects and
MSc/PhD research studies as well as work on a great variety of
collaborative R&D projects with partners and customers globally in the area
of Operational Research, Predictive modelling, Analytics, and Artificial
Intelligence.

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Applications for fully funded Ph.D. and post-doc positions in
Montreal in the domain of Operations Research, as well as in the
intersection between Operations Research and Machine Learning.
These positions aim at advancing the collective capabilities to model and solve
hard optimization problems and the understanding of how external data
sources and real-time data can be used to improve the decision-making
process.

* Research Topics
Research topics may be aligned with the interests of the students. Several
pre-defined research projects are also available (some of them in
collaboration with industrial partners). Topics may generally include the
following:
- Large-scale optimization for dynamic (combinatorial) planning problems
(e.g. Benders decomposition, Column Generation, Lagrangian Relaxation)
- Optimization under uncertainty (e.g. stochastic programming, robust
optimization, improvement of uncertainty sets and scenario generation
through external data)
- Improvement of (à priori and real-time) planning through integration of
external data sources via machine learning
- OR based algorithms to efficiently solve machine learning problems

Research applications may include domains such as Logistics and
Transportation (e.g., vehicle sharing systems, facility location, network
design), Telecommunications, and Revenue Management (e.g., assortment
planning; discrete choice models).

>>> Particularly applications are invited for a post-doc position on machine
learning and optimization for high-frequency limit-order book data.
This position is at the Department of Finance at HEC Montréal
and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. <<<

* Research supervision and environment
The students will work under the supervision of Dr. Sanjay Dominik Jena,
professor at the Department of Management and Technology (
mantech.esg.uqam.ca) at the Management School of Université du Québec à
Montréal (École des Science de la Gestion, UQAM). Sanjay Dominik Jena is
also member of the worldwide renowned research center CIRRELT (
www.cirrelt.ca) and the Canada Exellence Research Chair in Data Science for
Real-time Decision-making (www.cerc-datascience.polymtl.ca). Students may
be co-supervised by other members of these research centers and will be
registered either at the joint Ph.D. program in Management (including ESG
UQAM, HEC Montréal, McGill and Concordia) or at the respective university
of the other supervisor(s).

Montreal is a dynamic Metropolis, located in the province of Québec,
Canada. The city is bilingual (French/English) and known for its
international atmosphere. Montreal offers a vibrate research environment,
hosting five major universities and several research centers in the domains
of Operations Research and Machine Learning. The successful candidates will
be working in one of the above-mentioned research centers.

* Candidate profile
Students are expected to carry out top-level research. They will develop
efficient solution algorithms to difficult planning problems such as those
in the above-listed domains. Candidates for a PhD position should have a
Masters degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Operations Research,
Applied Mathematics, or a related field. Candidates for post-doc positions
should have a PhD in the aforementioned domains. All candidates should
belong to the top of their academic classes and demonstrate good
programming and mathematical skills. Experience in mathematical
programming, machine learning, or data analysis is an asset. Candidates
should possess a good level of written and oral English. Even though they
may eventually learn French during their stay, French knowledge is not
obligatory.

* Application procedure
Interested candidates should send their application package electronically
to Sanjay Dominik Jena (sanjay.jena@cirrelt.ca). The application should
contain the following documents:
- Cover letter explaining the motivation to perform a Ph.D. in one of the
domains mentioned above in Montreal, your research interests, as well as
your preferred starting date
- Detailed curriculum vitae with list of publications (if any)
- Grade records of Bachelor and Master programs
- Reference letters or contact details of references (one of them should be
the supervisor of the candidate's Master studies)
- results of GRE or GMAT (if available)

If you have further questions regarding these positions, possible research
topics, etc., please contact Sanjay Dominik Jena (sanjay.jena@cirrelt.ca).
For a start in January 2020, admission deadline is end of August 2019 at
most of the universities. We therefore encourage to apply early, since, if
considered for the entry at a Business school, a GRE/GMAT will be required
which takes some time of preparation. Post-doc positions do not have
specific starting dates.

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Delivery of products purchased by online customers is an increasingly important problem for e-commerce companies, representing a substantial para of their costs. The final step --- last mile delivery, which conveys the product to the customer --- is a key stage in the process.
Several business models proposed recently exploit the concept of crowdsourcing in which, in addition to professional couriers, ordinary citizens are invited to participate in the delivery process. However, current models present a set of weaknesses and do not adequately address many of the concerns associated with real-world implementation.

This project will address such concerns. The main concept is to have in-store customers delivering parcels on their way home to customers that ordered on-line, besides maintaining a backup of professionals for delivering the remaining parcels. This approach will reduce environmental impacts and urban congestion at low marginal cost to the company.

Optimization
The underlying problem associated to LastMile can be modeled as a mixed-integer optimization problem. The most elementary models are deterministic, but for realistic outcomes they must be extended to stochastic contexts. We expect that the solution process will involve a intricate framework, making use of optimization solvers as well as ad hoc components specific to this problem.

Machine learning
An important part of the problem involves modeling the probability of acceptance for outsourcing tasks, as well as their impacts on delivery costs. This will involve dynamically analyzing data and extracting relevant information, making use of the state-of-the-art in machine learning.

Steps
•Modeling practically relevant situations yet unaddressed
•Researching new compensation schemes for guaranteeing sustainability of the models
•Researching efficient optimization algorithms for simultaneously matching parcels to couriers and optimizing the routes of the firm’s own fleet.

Keywords:
•Vehicle routing
•Transportation
•Stochastic programming
•Machine learning

Key competences:
•Mathematical modeling and optimization
•Stochastic modeling
•Computer programming


Project team
João Pedro Pedroso - http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1298-7191
Ana Viana - http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5932-5203
Xenia Klimentova - http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1085-0810
Pierre Hosteins - http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4186-9127
Katarzyna Gdowska - http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7964-3724
Abdur Rais - http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1906-9684

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A PhD student position, funded through a full-time research and teaching
assistantship, is available at HEC Liège – Management School of the
University of Liège.



The successful candidate will prepare a doctoral thesis in the fields of
operational research and supply chain management under the supervision of
Prof. Yasemin Arda. The thesis subject will be related to the current and
future research projects of the group on operational research methods
(mathematical modelling and optimization, stochastic programming,
combinatorial optimization, exact solution approaches (e.g.,
branch-and-price), heuristic solution approaches (e.g., metaheuristics),
etc.) and their applications in supply chain management (network design,
production planning, scheduling and sequencing, vehicle routing, pricing,
healthcare operations management, etc.).

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Behavioural change is an important factor in the maintenance of health and well-being in a number of conditions; a change in a person's behaviour can often be an indication of a change in their health state. Monitoring behaviour and detecting change as part of self-management can therefore be an effective tool for the maintenance of stable health in chronic diseases.
By monitoring behaviour, changes that correlate to prodromes or early warning signs can be identified and corrective or preventative action taken early. The activity will be devoted to the characterization of common patterns and in the identification of pattern change in time series of behavioral data. In particular, the development of data visualization techniques, clusting models and anomaly detection in behavioral data will be required.

Reference e-mail:
enza.messina@unimib.it

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Hydrogen is the only carbon-free storable fuel. When combined with
renewable energy sources (wind, solar, hydro, wave and tidal), it has the
potential to become one of the main contributors of a sustainable future as
a green energy vector. The project aims to handle dynamic management of a
decentralized Power-to-Hydrogensystem where electricity is converted into
hydrogen fuel for a zero-emission mobility. Multiple economic agents with
conflicting interests are involved in the renewable electricity-based
hydrogen supply chain.

This PhD thesis will focus on bilevel modeling the Stackelberg game played
between two decision makers: a renewable energy supplier and a hydrogen
asset operator. The former competes in a day-ahead energy spot market and
offers other services (such as ancillary services) besides energy while
facing an uncertain energy generation, changing spot prices and a varying
demand. The latter focuses on producing hydrogen while respecting
operational constraints and limitations at a minimum cost.

Bilevel programs are inherently hard to solve, especially under
uncertainty. Therefore, there will be a strong emphasis on finding
efficient exact and/or heuristic solution methodologies. Different types of
real-life or realistic data will be available for testing.

We are offering a 3-year CIFR PhD thesis at PersEE Innovation, a Lyon-based
startup company (Sezin Afsar), in collaboration with Ecole des Ponts
ParisTech (Michel De Lara).

Keywords: supply chain, renewable energy, hydrogen, stochastic
optimization, bilevel optimization, game theory

Required Technical Skills:
• Master’s degree or equivalent in Industrial Eng, Computer Science,
Applied Math or any relevant subject from a European institution
• Experience in Python/C/C++ and solvers such as GAMS, CPLEX or Gurobi
• General knowledge of mathematical programming and optimization. Expertise
in stochastic and integer programming is an advantage.
• Familiarity with at least one of relevant fields (energy systems and
markets,
renewable energy, supply chain management, metaheuristics…)

Behavioral Skills:
• Adaptability to team work
• Curiosity and enthusiasm to learn
• Flexibility
• Being open to new ideas and innovations
• Willingness to contribute to a cleaner future
• Speaking French is a plus

Candidates may send their CV, transcript, motivation letter and references
to saf@pers-ee.fr until 16/08. Start date will be 01/12

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The Operations Research Group of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University “Federico II” of Naples, announces the following three years PhD programme:

The PhD Programme in
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (ITEE)
http://dottorato-itee.dieti.unina.it/index.php/it/

The PhD programme includes a curriculum in Operations Research for students with background in optimization and computer science. The OR topics of the PhD positions will be both methodological and applicative, with particular emphasis on integer/network optimization and data science for logistics, transportation, communication networks and healthcare systems.

Be careful that the application options for the programme are different!

- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (ITEE).
1) 14 positions for Italian and foreign students: the selection of the applicants will be based on a preliminary assessment of the qualifications, and then on a written exam and an oral colloquium (both to be done on place in Naples).

2) 1 position for foreign students, graduated out of Italy and not living in Italy: the selection of the applicants will be based on the preliminary assessment of the qualifications and then on an oral colloquium (to be done either on place or via Skype call).

Reference E-mails:
claudio.sterle@unina.it
antonio.sforza@unina.it
maurizio.boccia@unina.it

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The Operations Research Group of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information
Technology, University “Federico II” of Naples, announces the following three years PhD
programmes:
 - INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY FOR HEALTH (ITCH)
http://icth.dieti.unina.it/index.php/it/
 Applications of foreign students and students coming out of University of Naples will be
considered of high priority.
 The PhD programme includes a curriculum in Operations Research for students with background in
optimization and computer science. The OR topics of the PhD positions will be both
methodological and applicative, with particular emphasis on integer/network optimization and data
science for healthcare.
Be careful that two application options are available.
1) 12 positions for Italian and foreign students: the selection of the applicants will be based on the
preliminary assessment of the qualifications, and then on an oral colloquium (to be done on place in
Naples).
2) 2 positions for foreign students, graduated out of Italy and not living in Italy: the selection of the
applicants will be based on the preliminary assessment of the qualifications and then on an oral
colloquium (to be done either on place or via Skype call).
More detailed information about the available positions can be found at the address:
http://www.unina.it/documents/11958/19320253/35_ciclo_Ph.D.Call_Attachement-A.pdf

Reference Emails:
Claudio.sterle@unina.it
antonio.sforza@unina.it
maurizio.boccia@unina.it

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The School of Computer Science at Ariel University invites
applications for Post-doctoral Fellowships in Combinatorics for two
years, with a possibility of extension for an additional year,
starting October 1, 2019 (the starting date is negotiable). The
successful applicant will work with Prof. Dan Hefetz on the ISF funded
project "Topics in Probabilistic Combinatorics".

We welcome applications from candidates specializing in Combinatorics,
who (will) have completed a Ph.D. degree in Mathematics or Computer
Science by September 30, 2019 (but not earlier than October 1, 2012).
Preference will be given to applicants with a proven track record in
some areas of Probabilistic Combinatorics.

Post-doctoral Fellowships are strictly research positions and do not
carry any teaching responsibilities.

Stipends for a one year fellowship are approximately 132,000 Israeli
Shekels and are commensurable with entry level academic salaries in
Israel.

Candidates should arrange the following application materials to be
sent to Dan Hefetz at danhe@ariel.ac.il. Informal enquiries about the
positions can be sent to the same email address.

- CV
- List of publications
- Research statement
- Three letters of recommendation to be sent directly by the reference writers

The deadline for applications is August 1, 2019.

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We seek a new colleague who can contribute to building and extending the department’s reputation for excellence in research and teaching. Our research aims at having impact, evidenced by publications in top international academic journals and collaborations with companies. Teaching focuses on logistics and operations management courses and student supervision. Applicants receive a well-structured tenure track.

Your duties
Doing innovative research and publish this research in internationally leading journals;
Creating a stimulating learning environment for students at all levels (B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.);
Being active in acquiring additional research funds, both individually and as a team effort with your colleagues;
Support the department in management as necessary.
REQUIREMENTS
We are looking for candidates with a solid background in quantitative research skills and an interest in logistics and operations analysis. You have:
A (nearly) completed Ph.D. thesis in Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Econometrics, Operations Management, Management Science or related fields;
A strong interest in analyzing and modeling real-life problems in logistics and operations using state-of-the-art quantitative methods witnessed by international scientific publications;
Good teaching and communication skills to interact successfully with students, industry, and academic partners;
Proficiency in English and a willingness to learn Dutch.
WHAT ARE WE OFFERING?
A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts to minimum €3,637 (scale 11) and maximum €4,978 (scale 11) per month, based on a full-time employment. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 1 FTE.

The initial employment contract will be for a period of 6 years, with the possibility of obtaining a permanent position (tenure). In case of excellent performance, earlier tenure decisions are possible. Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:
a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
solid pension scheme (ABP)
contribution to commuting expenses
optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
you may also be eligible for a favorable tax ruling for high-skilled expats (the so-called 30% ruling), which means that 30% of the salary is free of taxes resulting in a higher net salary
a relocation allowance

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A postdoctoral position in computer science is available at the
Research Chair in Distributed Computing of the
Universite du Quebec en Outaouais, Canada,
under the supervision of Prof. Andrzej Pelc.

Requirements: * Ph.D. in Computer Science or Mathematics obtained between
October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2019
* Strong academic background in algorithms and graph theory.
* Strong research record and potential in one or more of the
following domains:
- design and analysis of combinatorial algorithms
- algorithmic aspects of distributed and parallel computing
- algorithms for interconnection networks
- algorithmic aspects of fault tolerance

Further information about the
Research Chair in Distributed Computing, and
about topics related to prospective postdoctoral research
of the successful candidate can be obtained at:
http://w3.uqo.ca/pelc/main.html
and
http://w3.uqo.ca/pelc/caldi/index.htm

Duties: Research in the above areas. NO teaching duties.
Knowledge of French is NOT necessary.
Duration: 12 months
Beginning: January 2020 (flexible)
Stipend: $40 000 per year (Canadian dollars).
Location: The Universite du Quebec en Outaouais is situated in Gatineau,
across the river from Ottawa. The National
Capital region of Ottawa offers a variety of possibilities
for cultural and sports activities (swimming, sailing, hiking,
skating, cross-country and downhill skiing). The campus of the
University of Quebec is a 10 min. drive from downtown Ottawa.

Applications including a detailed CV (with e-mail address),
a statement of research interests, a complete list of publications,
an abstract of Ph.D. Thesis and reprints (preprints) of 2 best papers
should be sent in a zipped file by e-mail to pelc@uqo.ca

Please arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to the same
e-mail address. Deadline for applications and reference letters is July 31, 2019.

Informal enquiries at
e-mail: pelc@uqo.ca

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A postdoctoral position in the area of efficient algorithms is
available in the research group of Prof. Susanne Albers, Department
of Computer Science, Technical University of Munich (TU Munich).

A research interest in approximation and online algorithms,
algorithmic game theory or algorithm engineering is very welcome.
More information about Susanne Albers and the research group can
be found at http://wwwalbers.in.tum.de/index.html.en

The position provides a competitive 12 month salary with standard
benefits. The appointment is for a period of one or two years,
depending on the research profile of the candidate. The expected
start date of the position is fall 2019.

The successful candidate should have a PhD degree in computer
science or mathematics. Furthermore, he/she should be interested
in collaborating with PhD students. The application material should
include (1) a cover letter describing the interest in the position,
(2) a CV and list of publications, (3) a short research summary,
and (4) the names and contact information of at least two references.
The material should be sent electronically to .

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The Department of Economics and Management of the University of Brescia
offers a PhD program in /Analytics for Economics and Management/ (AEM).
The first year will be devoted to courses on optimization and
statistics, to more specific courses on integer programming, computer
programming and CPLEX, and to the initial work on the thesis, under the
supervision of a professor with whom the PhD student will work closely.
During the second year most of our PhD students spend a period abroad,
working with leading researchers part of our network of international
collaborations.

Details on the PhD program can be found at

https://sites.google.com/a/unibs.it/aem/

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A postdoc position in graph drawing and related areas is open in the
graph drawing research group led by Prof. Giuseppe Di Battista at the
Department of Engineering at Roma Tre University. The research group
includes Fabrizio Frati, Maurizio Patrignani, and Maurizio Pizzonia as
permanent members, together with several postdocs and PhD students. The
postdoc position is funded by the PRIN (Research Projects of National
Interest) Project "MODE" - Morphing graph drawings efficiently.

The ideal candidate for the position should have a PhD in Mathematics or
Computer Science and should have a background in algorithms, theoretical
computer science and/or discrete mathematics, preferably with an
interest in graph drawing, graph theory, and/or combinatorial geometry.

The postdoc appointment is to begin as soon as possible. The position is
for one year, renewable for a second year. The position is full-time and
research-only. The position is open to candidates of any nationality; in
particular, no knowledge of Italian is required. The gross salary is
27.5K, which will result in ~1650 net per month. Travel funding will be
available.

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THIS Institute is seeking a Research Associate to support a range of research projects concerning the promotion of quality and safety in health care, improving the uptake and spread of good practice, and sustaining improvements in the way that care is delivered, as well as supporting the research infrastructure of THIS Institute. We particularly welcome applications from individuals with a background in industrial or systems engineering, human factors and ergonomics or operational research.
The post-holder will be educated to PhD level in health services research, medical sociology, public health, epidemiology, data science, industrial or systems engineering, human factors and ergonomics, operational research or other relevant area or have equivalent qualifications or equivalent experience. You will have the ability to read, critique and synthesise relevant literature, to plan and conduct primary research to a high standard, and to engage with many stakeholders and collaborators in co-production, while working at pace. You will be capable of preparing research protocols, project reports and manuscripts for submission to peer reviewed journals with minimal supervision, and will have strong skills in teamwork.

Have a question?
Email graham.martin@thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Due to abandonment in the last minute, we have the opportunity for a doctoral scholarship.
The thesis is part of an interdisciplinary project between two laboratories in France: LORIA (Informatica), LRGP (Process Engineering) and the University of Rome "Tor Vergata".

Here some details. Please send an email to the address linked for further details and candidacy.

“Process synthesis is the assembly and interconnection of units into a process network – involving different physical and chemical phenomena to transform raw material and energy inputs into desired outputs – with the goal of optimizing economic, environmental, and/or social objectives” (from [1]). In general processes, the overall system can be composed of different interconnected subsystems such as: distillation columns, chemical reactors, or a membrane process.

From an application point of view, process synthesis offers an interesting challenge: first of all, for their economical and environmental impact on industrial applications (CO2 capture, air/water purification, etc), second, even if there exist academic contributions on optimization-based process design, such contributions are not integrated in industrial practices, where simulation based methods and “by-hand” sensitivity analysis are still the main tool ([1]), this is a clear indicator that current methods are not enough advanced to give a convincing answer.

Tackling process synthesis requires a deep knowledge both in continuous and combinatorics optimization, since even fixing the integer values (design/configuration) the problem obtained is a hard nonlinear non convex optimization problem, whereas choosing the configuration asks for solving a not naive combinatorial problem.

Indeed, the mathematical formulation of process synthesis leads to a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming problem (MINLP), that is one of the most recent topic for the optimization community [2]. It is well known that MINLP is extremely challenging and no general solver is able to manage large size general problems [3]. Therefore, ​ “ad hoc” solution strategies combining global and discrete optimization methods and integrating problem specific information must be designed.

The aim of the thesis is to define an exact algorithm for solving a possibly simplified version of process synthesis optimization. This requires the study of innovative bounding techniques for the specific non convexities of this class of problems and the definition of ad hoc exploration strategies for the discrete space that exploit the knowledge of the physical process behind. This is a challenging research objective on its own and it will constitute a building block of a tool for solving more realistic process synthesis problems derived by industrial application cases.

The thesis is part of a long term research project between the LORIA, the LRGP laboratory (Nancy) and the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”.



[1] Qi Chen and I.E. Grossmann. Recent developments and challenges in optimization-based process synthesis. Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 8(1):249–283, 2017.

[2] Christodoulos A. Floudas. Nonlinear and Mixed-Integer Optimization: Fundamentals and Applications. Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.

[3] Pietro Belotti, Christian Kirches, Sven Leyffer, Jeff Linderoth, Jim Luedtke, and Ashutosh Mahajan. Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Optimization. Mathematics and Computer Science Division, Preprint ANL/MCS-P3060-1112, 2012.

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The Logistics and Supply Chain Management Research Centre at Sheffield University Management School
is seeking applications for a fully funded PhD from exceptional UK/EU/International students with an outstanding academic
record (distinction/high merit or equivalent), as well as a proven record in research training.

PhD project title
Emerging Optimisation Challenges in Locational Analysis for Supply Network Management

Project description
The PhD project is concerned with Locational Analysis, with particular
emphasis on Advanced Network Design and Supply Chain Structural Complexity
problems, and relevant applications in Production and Service Management.
The aim is to introduce the impact of advanced modelling features/concepts
(including k-splittable flows and structural complexity) in the field of
facility location problems, thus exploring novel and promising research
avenues.

How to apply
The deadline to apply is 1 July 2019 at 17:00 UK time. Please note that
applications will not be processed if they are incomplete or received after
the deadline. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview on
Tuesday 13/Wednesday 14 August 2019.
Applicants should submit a 1000 word research proposal which directly
addresses the theme and/or specific topic to which they are applying. The
proposal should contain a brief background to the topic, which demonstrates
knowledge of existing work in the field, and potential contributions to
knowledge. It should also explain the proposed research methods and include
a plan of the research, and a timeline.

For more information and to submit an application, visit:
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BSX245/fully-funded-phd-emerging-optimisation-challenges-in-locational-analysis-for-supply-network-management
Please clearly indicate the number of the project in your application: LSCM 2/3

Supervisors:
Dr Antonino Sgalambro
Dr. Diego Ruiz-Hernandez

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact:
Dr Antonino Sgalambro: a.sgalambro@sheffield.ac.uk,
skype: antonino.sgalambro

Funding notes
This scholarship is offered on a full-time basis for three years subject to
satisfactory progress. The award pays tuition fees and an annual tax free
maintenance stipend at the RCUK rate.
Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis – applications are assessed
on the basis of academic success and qualifications, experience, research
background, a clear well-articulated research proposal, the potential
impact of the research and a close synergy of research interests with
supervisor/research centre expertise.