Aalto Data-Intensive System group is seeking full-time doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in scalable machine learning systems and distributed data-intensive systems. Due to the large volume of applications, I may not be able to reply to all candidates, but I promise to carefully go over each application. Thanks!
- We have several current openings:
- (1) Postdoc positions (2 openings) in scalable ML systems and/or quantum computing systems
- (2) PhD positions (2 openings) in scalable ML systems
- (3) HIIT research fellowship in data-intensive systems and ML systems
- (4) TA/RA positions at Aalto CS
[About the group] We conduct research on efficient data-intensive systems that translate data into value for decision making. The scope of our research spans across multiple subfields, from scalable data-centric machine learning systems to distributed data stream management systems, as well as code optimization techniques. That is to answer the question “how to co-design multiple layers of the software stack to improve scalability, performance, and energy efficiency of ML systems”. Our long-term goal is to explore and understand the fundamental connections between data management and modern ML systems to make decision-making more transparent, robust and efficient. Please find more details in our research statement.
(1) Postdoc positions (2 openings) in scalable ML systems and/or quantum computing systems
Contract: 12–24 months (depending on funding; extension possible). Start date: flexible (as soon as possible preferred).
Requirements
- An excellent PhD degree in Computer Science or a closely related field
- Track A (Scalable ML / Data Systems): experience in distributed ML training/inference, distributed/networked systems, distributed databases, and/or code optimization
- Track B (Hybrid Classical–Quantum Systems): experience in hybrid classical–quantum computing systems, in particular quantum error correction, quantum circuit generation, and/or quantum compilation/optimization
- Strong publication record in top ML or systems venues (e.g., SIGMOD/VLDB/SOSP/OSDI/EuroSys/SIGCOMM/NSDI/ICML/NeurIPS/ICLR/QEC/QIP), or equivalent evidence of research excellence (e.g., impactful open-source artifact + strong evaluation)
- Very good programming skills (Python + system programming languages e.g., C++/Rust)
- Strong analytical thinking skills
- The ability to work independently and within a larger team
- Excellent scientific communication and writing skills in English
Current project examples (non-exhaustive)
- Track A: LLM training/serving systems; distributed RL post-training; GraphRAG/RAG pipelines under strict latency; data loading & preprocessing at scale; state sharing/caching for multi-tenant workloads
- Track B: real-time decoding for quantum error correction; scheduling across HPC + QPU; end-to-end hybrid workflows; quantum circuit generation/optimization pipelines
What we offer
- An outstanding research environment at one of top universities in Computer Science field in Europe
- A competitive salary from 4,138.43 EUR to 4,323.57 EUR per month (depending on experience and qualifications)
- World-class computing resources including the group-exclusive GPU cluster and access to Europe’s fastest supercomputer LUMI (11,912 GPUs), as well as quantum computing resources
- Many international collaboration opportunities with both academia and industry, and funded travel to conferences
- A wide range of staff benefits, flexible working hours, world-leading health care, family support, and social security
How to apply (rolling review)
- Email subject: [Postdoc Application][Track A/B] Full Name
- Send Prof. Bo Zhao a single PDF containing: (i) a cover letter (1 page; please indicate Track A/B and 1 project idea), (ii) an academic CV, (iii) a research statement (2–3 pages), and (iv) contact details of three referees. Transcripts and PhD certificate can be provided upon request.
- Selection process: shortlisted candidates will be invited for a short interview; references may be contacted at a later stage.
(2) PhD positions (2 openings) in scalable ML systems
Contract: up to 4 years (depending on funding). Start date: flexible (as soon as possible preferred).
Requirements
- An excellent MSc degree in Computer Science or a closely related field
- Solid background in at least one of: distributed ML training/inference, distributed/networked systems, distributed databases, and/or code optimization
- Very good programming skills (Python + system programming languages e.g., C++/Rust)
- Strong analytical thinking skills
- The ability to work independently and within a larger team
- Excellent scientific communication and writing skills in English
- Prior research experience is a plus (e.g., publications, open-source artifacts, or an excellent MSc thesis)
Current project examples (non-exhaustive)
- LLM training/serving systems and performance optimization
- Distributed RL post-training / scalable optimization
- Data loading, preprocessing, and scheduling for large-scale ML
- RAG/GraphRAG pipelines under strict latency and cost constraints
- Distributed/streaming data systems for ML workloads
What we offer
- An outstanding research environment at one of top universities in Computer Science field in Europe
- A competitive salary from 3,100 EUR to 3,500 EUR per month
- World-class computing resources including the group-exclusive GPU cluster and access to Europe’s fastest supercomputer LUMI (11,912 GPUs), as well as quantum computing resources
- Many international collaboration opportunities with both academia and industry, and funded travel to conferences
- A wide range of staff benefits, flexible working hours, world-leading health care, family support, and social security
How to apply (rolling review)
- Email subject: [PhD Application] Full Name
- Send Prof. Bo Zhao a single PDF containing: (i) a cover letter (1 page; please describe your fit + preferred topic), (ii) an academic CV, (iii) a research statement / proposal (1–2 pages), and (iv) contact details of two referees. Transcripts (BSc/MSc) can be provided upon request.
- Selection process: shortlisted candidates will be invited for a short interview; references may be contacted at a later stage.
(3) HIIT research fellowship
We have Research Fellow and Postdoctoral Fellow Positions funded by The Helsinki Institute for Information Technology (HIIT). Please find details here.
(4) TA/RA positions at Aalto CS
Current TA/RA positions are for Aalto students. We are looking for MSc students with strong CS background.
Successful applicants will conduct impactful research in the field of data-intensive systems and their applications, publish research results in top-tier conferences, and collaborate with other researchers and visit world-leading research groups and industry labs within our international network (e.g., Imperial College, TUM, MPI-SWS, HU Berlin, NUS, Uni Edinburgh, AWS, Huawei, etc).Previously, we had the pleasure to work with following students Marcel Wagenländer, Alessandro Fogli, Jinnan Guo, and Mustapha Abdullahi.
About Aalto University, the CS Department, and Finland
Aalto University is a community of bold thinkers where science and art meet technology and business. It is the largest technology-oriented university in Finland (1st in Finland according to QS ranking 2024). We are committed to identifying and solving grand societal challenges and building an innovative future. Aalto has six schools with nearly 11,000 students and a staff of more than 4000, of which 400 are professors. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness in the future as well. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.
The Department of Computer Science is the largest department at Aalto and one of the leading computer science research units in northern Europe. It is routinely ranked among the top 10 in Europe and in the top 100 globally (Shanghai ranking 51-75, USNews 71, Times 73, QS 84). The CS Department is located at the Otaniemi campus in Espoo – one of the most important north-european technology hubs, with a high concentration of companies, startups and research institutes from the high-tech sector, and with a thriving culture of entrepreneurship. It is less than a 15 minutes metro ride away from the center of Helsinki, capital of Finland. The campus is designed by the renowned architect and designer, Alvar Aalto. Please check out our virtual campus experience.
Aalto University is located in Finland which is among the best countries in the world according to many quality of life indicators. For the sixth year in a row (including 2023), Finland is listed as the world's happiest country, according to the World Happiness Report. Please find more information about living in Finland and the Aalto inforamtion package.
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