Postdoctoral Positions in Rational Machine Learning: The Rational Intelligence Lab at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Saarbrücken, Germany, invites applications for Postdoctoral Researchers under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA 2025) Postdoctoral Fellowships. This is an excellent opportunity to work at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and economic theory, contributing to the development of rational, reliable, and efficient AI systems.
📌 Quick Summary Table
| Designation | Postdoctoral Researcher |
|---|---|
| Research Area | Rational Machine Learning, AI Systems, Economic Theory |
| Location | CISPA, Saarbrücken, Germany |
| Eligibility | PhD in CS, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Physics |
| Fellowship Type | MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| Duration | Per MSCA guidelines |
| Application Mode | Email (Cover Letter + CV) |
| Contact Email | muandet@cispa.de |
| Deadline to Apply | September 10, 2025 |
| Website | https://ri-lab.org |
👨🔬 Designation
Postdoctoral Researcher
(Under MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025)
🧠 Research Areas
- Rational machine learning and AI systems
- Statistical inference and uncertainty quantification
- Causal & counterfactual reasoning
- Game-theoretic modeling of human-AI interaction
- Incentive-aware AI alignment
- Mathematical formalization of abstraction and concept learning in AI
- Analysis of large predictive and generative models (e.g., LLMs, diffusion models)
📍 Location
CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Saarbrücken, Germany
Located in the tri-border area of Germany, France, and Luxembourg.
🎓 Eligibility / Qualification
- A completed PhD (by the application deadline) in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Physics, or related disciplines.
- Strong publication record in top-tier machine learning venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, EC, AAAI, AAMAS, JMLR).
- Solid mathematical foundation and/or excellent programming skills.
- Motivation to understand and improve the behavior and deployment of complex AI systems.
- International and diverse applicants are strongly encouraged, including underrepresented groups.
📄 Job Description
Successful applicants will:
- Collaborate with the Rational Intelligence Lab and broader CISPA community on theoretical and empirical research.
- Develop formal, mathematical, and game-theoretic frameworks to understand and improve AI system behavior.
- Work on high-impact topics such as safety, reliability, generalization, and fairness of AI.
- Possibly collaborate with international partners and institutes within the Saarland Informatics Campus, including MPI-INF, MPI-SWS, Saarland University, and others.
- Contribute to the goals of the ELLIS Unit Saarbrücken and Helmholtz AI Cooperation Unit.
✅ What CISPA Offers
- A unique research environment combining the best of academia and lab settings.
- Collaboration opportunities with world-renowned institutes and research groups.
- English-speaking, international, and diverse community.
- Competitive institutional funding and academic freedom.
- Support in preparing proposals for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.
📬 How to Apply
- Check your eligibility for the MSCA 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowships.
- Send the following documents to muandet@cispa.de:
- Cover Letter (highlighting your fit with the lab and how your research aligns)
- CV
- If shortlisted, you will work collaboratively on developing a strong proposal.
📅 Last Date to Apply
September 10, 2025
⚠️ Proposals need preparation in advance. Early application is encouraged.
For full details, visit: 🌐 https://ri-lab.org
Lab Values: https://ri-lab.org/values
Publications: https://ri-lab.org/pubs
