Two Postdoc Positions in Continual Learning of Deep Neural Networks for Sustainable and Data Secure

Two Postdoc Positions in Continual Learning of Deep Neural Networks for Sustainable and Data Secure

Reference: 20221103_TED_LAMP

About CVC

The Computer Vision Center (CVC) is a non-profit research center established in 1995 by the Generalitat de Catalunya and the UniversitatAutònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Its mission is to carry out cutting-edge research that has the highest international impact in the field of computer vision. It also promotes the transference of knowledge to industry and society.

Computer vision is an exciting research area and an omnipresent technology, essentially empowering machines with the sense of vision. The CVC is a successful marriage between knowledge and innovation. In addition to our cutting-edge scientific achievements, we have established lasting ties with industrial partners and created several spin-off companies.

Hosting group

Learning and Machine Perception Group (LAMP), led by Dr Joost van de Weijer, performs research on continual learning, active learning, generative models, transfer learning, and self-supervised learning. For more information on the LAMP team visit: http://www.cvc.uab.es/lamp/

The selected candidate will work in the Computer Vision Center (CVC), Barcelona, a research institute comprising more than 100 researchers and support staff, dedicated to computer vision research and knowledge transfer. With a strong international projection and links to the industry, the Computer Vision Center offers an exciting environment for scientific career development. The Computer Vision Center has a plan for expansion of its permanent research staff base and has received the “HR Excellence in Research” award as a provider and supporter of a stimulating and favorable working environment.

Context and Mission

We are seeking two postdocs to join the Learning and Machine Perception (LAMP) team in beautiful Barcelona. The positions are for two years and will remain open until good candidates are found.

The positions are linked to the project Towards sustainable AI: Continual Learning for Energy-Efficient Training of Deep Neural Networks (CL-2E)[i], funded by Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación and by the European Union’s NextGeneration/PRTR funding programme in the framework of TED - Proyectos Transición Ecológica y Transición Digital 2021 call.

The project focuses on research lines that explore the potential of Continual AI to address the challenges of sustainable AI. Research lines include (but are not limited to):

1. Energy-efficient continual learning: this direction studies and aims to propose continual learning methods that are best adapted for the energy-efficient retraining of neural network when new data arrives.

2. Data secure (privacy protective) continual learning: this direction is devoted to the study continual learning techniques that ensure the privacy of clients (including the unlearning of knowledge).

3. Biologically inspired energy-efficient continual learning: this line is devoted to the development of a computational model that follows the continual learning in the human brain: separating the learning process in a slow and fast learner to optimally address the stability-plasticity trade-off. Potentially investigating spiking models for energy-efficient continual learning.

Candidate’s profile

The candidate should possess a PhD in computer vision or machine learning and have a strong publication record. We are looking for candidates who have publications in the top conferences CVPR, ECCV, ICCV, NIPS, ICML, or ICLR. The candidate should have a background in machine learning and deep learning. Knowledge of continual learning is desired but not mandatory. The applicants are expected to be fluent in both oral and written communication in English. They should work well in a team while demonstrating initiative and independence. The candidate is expected to supervise PhD students.

Conditions

The position will be located at Computer Vision Center (Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). We offer a full-time contract, a good environment, flexible working hours.

Project duration: two years from December 1st 2022

Living allowance of 31-36k€/year (gross salary) depending on experience.

Applications procedure and process

All application must include a full CV in English including contact details and must be sent through the online form at the end of the offer.

Research Contact

If you are interested in the position and need more information, please contact Dr. Joost van de Weijer (joost@cvc.uab.es)

Submission Deadline: The vacancy will remain open until a suitable candidate has been hired. Applications will be regularly reviewed and potential candidates will be contacted.

OTM-R principles for selection processes

The CVC is committed to Open Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) for any potential candidate in all our processes. In 2015 we received the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) award. Through an extensive and continuous process, we improve the conditions and opportunities at CVC. With these actions, the CVC is committed to the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, as well as the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

For more information follow this link

[i] Grant TED2021-132513B-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR”