Job Summary
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is inviting applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Researcher position within the Department of Computer Science (Federated labs AI and Robotics research group). This role focuses on developing advanced reinforcement learning (RL) techniques tailored for public health decision-making during epidemic emergencies. The goal is to design robust, interpretable, and uncertainty-aware control algorithms using realistic spatial and individual-based epidemic simulation models.
Postdoctoral Researcher in Reinforcement Learning for Epidemic Mitigation, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
Designation
- Postdoctoral Researcher (Academic Staff & Researchers)
Key Information At a Glance
| Property | Details |
| Job Title | Postdoctoral Researcher in Reinforcement Learning for Epidemic Mitigation |
| Institution | Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) |
| Faculty & Department | Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences — Department of Computer Science |
| Research Group | Federated labs AI and Robotics |
| Workload | Full-Time (1.0 FTE) |
| Contract Duration | 12 months (extendable subject to positive performance evaluation) |
| Planned Start Date | October 1, 2026 |
| Application Deadline | September 30, 2026 |
| Primary Contact | Pieter Libin (pieter.libin@vub.be |
Research Area
- Primary Fields: Reinforcement Learning (RL), Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning
- Specialized Domains: Computational Epidemiology, Sequential Decision-Making, Multi-Objective RL, Hierarchical RL, Explainable AI (XAI), Uncertainty-Aware Decision-Making
Location
- Campus: Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene)
- City/Country: Brussels, Belgium
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Education: PhD in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or a closely related field.
- Technical Expertise: Demonstrated experience with reinforcement learning, sequential decision-making, or related machine learning methods.
- Programming Skills: Strong proficiency in Python (experience with JAX is a plus).
- Research Skills: Background in simulation-based or quantitative research workflows.
- Teamwork & Communication: Strong oral and written communication skills in English; ability to work independently and within a multidisciplinary team.
- Residency/Permit: Compliance with VUB residence requirements and eligibility for obtaining a valid Belgian work/residence permit for (non-)EEA nationals.
Job Description
- Algorithm Development: Design, implement, and evaluate multi-objective, hierarchical, and explainable reinforcement learning algorithms tailored to epidemic preparedness and response.
- Simulation & Control Modeling: Formulate control problems as sequential decision-making tasks using spatial and individual-based epidemic simulation models.
- Research Output: Contribute to high-quality scientific publications, maintain reproducible research workflows, and develop standard software codebases.
- Dissemination: Present project outcomes at internal project meetings, international conferences, and scientific workshops.
How to Apply
- Visit the official VUB Job Application Portal.
- Submit your application and upload the following required documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Motivation Letter
- Contact details for academic/professional references
- Up to three representative preprints or publications
- Links to relevant code repositories or software projects (if applicable)
- PhD Diploma (not required for VUB alumni)
Last Date to Apply
- September 30, 2026
