PhD Candidate in Software Engineering - Automations for Multi-Stage, Multi-Step and Concurrent Design of Space Program Architectures

SnT is a leading international research and innovation centre in secure, reliable and trustworthy ICT systems and services. We play an instrumental role in Luxembourg by fueling innovation through research partnerships with industry, boosting R&D investments leading to economic growth, and attracting highly qualified talent.

We’re looking for people driven by excellence, excited about innovation, and looking to make a difference. If this sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place!

Your Role

Luxembourg has been successful in creating in a very short time, a space ecosystem with over 60 startups. This has positioned Luxembourg as a global hotspot for established and emerging actors from the international space economy. However, an architecture (high-level design) of Luxembourg’s space program is currently missing.

A space program architecture would support steering the strategy of the Luxembourg space ecosystem but also guiding companies where to position themselves within that ecosystem and goes beyond an individual space mission and usually combines multiple missions in a sequence along with the used systems and technologies. It links strategic objectives (political, economic, societal, environmental, etc.), which are usually high-level (often national) with means to achieve them (systems, technologies, etc.).

The project "Space-program Architecture Modelling Platform" (SAMP) will combine model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and concurrent engineering to enable decision-makers and stakeholders to make complex strategic decisions at unprecedented speeds and depths collaboratively.  To capture and reason about space program architectures, the SAMP project involves several activities such as conceptual framework development, meta-modelling, design of formalisms and simulation methods, etc. As the successful candidate, you will join the SAMP multidisciplinary team that includes researchers from Space System Engineering (SpaSys) and Security, Reasoning and Validation (SeRVal) groups.

The supervision team you will be working with is:

• Maxime Cordy (supervisor): research scientist at SeRVal
• Sami Lazreg: research associate at SeRVal
• Andreas Hein: head of SpaSys

You will be required to perform the following tasks:

• Carrying out research in the predefined areas
• Survey the scientific literature in the relevant research domains
• Disseminating results through scientific publications
• Communicate with stakeholders to collect requirements and report results
• Implement proof-of-concept software tools

Your Profile

Qualification:

The candidate should possess an MSc degree (or equivalent) in computer science with strong software engineering and programming skills and good knowledge of computer science in general.

Experience: The ideal candidate should have some knowledge and/or experience in some of the following topics:

• Software Engineering (Java/C++/Python, C#, etc.)
• Design Pattern/Architectural Pattern/Service Oriented Architecture/UML
• MDE/Domain Specific Language/Code generation
• Model-Based System Engineering/SysML/Matlab
• Constraint programming (ILP/SAT/SMT, etc.) and optimization (Newton’s, SQP, etc.)
• Formal verification: design space exploration, model checking, search algorithms

Language Skills: Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English are required.

Here’s what awaits you at SnT

• A stimulating learning environment. Here post-docs and professors outnumber PhD students. That translates into access and close collaborations with some of the brightest ICT researchers, giving you solid guidance
• Exciting infrastructures and unique labs. At SnT’s two campuses, our researchers can take a walk on the moon at the LunaLab, build a nanosatellite, or help make autonomous vehicles even better
• The right place for IMPACT. SnT researchers engage in demand-driven projects. Through our Partnership Programme, we work on projects with more than 55 industry partners
• Multiple funding sources for your ideas. The University supports researchers to acquire funding from national, European and private sources
• Competitive salary package. The University offers a 12 month-salary package, over six weeks of paid time off, meal vouchers and health insurance
• Be part of a multicultural family. At SnT we have more than 60 nationalities. Throughout the year, we organise team-building events, networking activities and more
• Boost your career. Students can take advantage of several opportunities for growth and career development, from free language classes to career resources and extracurricular activities

But wait, there’s more!

• Complete picture of the perks we offer
• Discover our Partnership Programme

In Short

• Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month (extendable up to 48 months if required)
• Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week
• Employee and student status
• Location: Kirchberg
• Job Reference: UOL05411

The yearly gross salary for every PhD at the UL is EUR 38028 (full time)

How to apply

Applications should be submitted online and include:

• Full CV, including list of publications
• The name (and email address, contact details) of three referees
• Transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses taken
• Research statement and topics of particular interest to the candidate (300 words)

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

Early application is highly encouraged, as the applications will be processed upon reception. Please apply formally through the HR system. Applications by email will not be considered.

The University of Luxembourg embraces inclusion and diversity as key values. We are fully committed to removing any discriminatory barrier related to gender, and not only, in recruitment and career progression of our staff.

About the University of Luxembourg

University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character. The University was founded in 2003 and counts more than 6,700 students and more than 2,000 employees from around the world. The University’s faculties and interdisciplinary centres focus on research in the areas of Computer Science and ICT Security, Materials Science, European and International Law, Finance and Financial Innovation, Education, Contemporary and Digital History. In addition, the University focuses on cross-disciplinary research in the areas of Data Modelling and Simulation as well as Health and System Biomedicine. Times Higher Education ranks the University of Luxembourg #3 worldwide for its “international outlook,” #20 in the Young University Ranking 2021 and among the top 250 universities worldwide.

Further information

For inquiries, please contact us at sami.lazreg@uni.lu