Doctoral (PhD) student in Karma economies

Job description

This Ph.D. position is located at the intersection of multiple domains : we plan to employ tools from Game Theory and Control Theory to model resource allocation problems that belong to diverse engineering domains like traffic, energy, robotics, and more.

You will have to work towards a dual goal. On the one hand, to further develop the mathematical foundations of the "karma games", by deriving rigorous and principled generalizations to complex resource allocation schemes. On the other hand, you will have to "engineer" these mechanisms and adapt them to practical application domains where they can be impactful and relevant.

You will collaborate with experts on these different topics, both in the two laboratories involved in the collaboration and withing the network of partners that form the NCCR Automation. You will publish your results in peer-reviewed journals and present them at international conferences.

As member of the NCCR Automation, you will benefit from the many opportunities offered by the NCCR (training, professional development, collaboration with researchers in academia and industry) and are expected to contribute to the NCCR activities when relevant (supervision of students, communication, technology transfer, equal opportunities, outreach).

Profile

A solid training in the mathematical tools that are needed for the project, including dynamical systems and control systems , is necessary. Knowledge of game theory , multi-agent systems , Markov decision processes , and any of the engineering domains mentioned above are valuable additions. The project will include some numerical experiments, therefore some experience with computational methods and numerical simulations is also useful.

Because the project goals lie at the intersection of engineering and economics, we expect the student to be interested in the science of socio-technical systems. As frequent collaborations are expected, a positive attitude towards team work, open communication, and collaborative science is expected.

Workplace

Workplace

We offer

We are offering a multifaceted and challenging position in a modern research environment with excellent infrastructure. The ideal starting date is the end of or the first months of , with a planned duration of 4 years.

The supervision will be joint between the two labs, although formally the student will be affiliated with either the group of Prof. Florian Dörfler at the Automatic Control Laboratory or with the group of Prof. Emilio Frazzoli at the Institute for Dynamics Systems and Control.

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit the NCCR Automation Equal Opportunities page to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish.

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We look forward to receiving your complete online application including

• a letter of motivation
• certificates and diplomas
• contact details of two reference persons

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Saverio Bolognani () or Andrea Censi (); applications sent to these email addresses will not be considered.

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