Your profile
We seek a highly motivated PhD candidate with a strong background in distributed systems,
cloud computing, and virtualization techniques. You have a master’s degree in computer
science with a demonstrated record of excellence. Proficiency in Java and experience with
additional programming languages is essential. A solid understanding of programming models,
theoretical computer science, and practical engineering skills is crucial.
Experience with Cloud, Edge, and IoT technologies is preferred. The candidate should be a
skilled programmer committed to independent research and able to collaborate effectively within
a team. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and the capability to produce
high-quality scientific publications in English are also important.
If you are passionate about developing and investigating innovative research ideas and working
on novel systems within the discipline of distributed systems, we encourage you to apply for this
exciting PhD opportunity.
The Project
Our project focuses on developing an innovative event-driven and reactive programming model
tailored for the Cloud-Edge-IoT continuum. The research will address several complex
challenges, including:
- the design and implementation of the programming model;
- resource management;
- runtime systems;
- fault-tolerance;
- scheduling and optimization;
- validation and verification processes.
A key component of the project is to demonstrate the practical utility of our programming model
by developing applications for real-world use cases. Additionally, we aim to explore advanced
topics such as automated application generation and the use of machine learning for translating
natural language requirements into application specifications.
Required Skills
- Theoretical computer science:
○ Distributed Systems
○ Scheduling
○ Programming languages
○ Algorithms
○ Data structures
○ Software engineering - Expert programmer:
○ Java
○ At least one other programming language - Practical experience with:
○ Docker
○ Terraform
○ Ansible
○ Git
○ Cloud providers, e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure
○ Key-value stores, e.g., NATS, Reddis, MongoDB
Preferred Qualifications
- Practical experience with:
○ Developing software for embedded devices (Nvidia Jetson Nano, Raspberry Pi)
○ Machine/deep learning
○ Event-driven systems
○ Serverless Computing
○ Actor-based programming
English language skills
If you apply for a PhD in computer science at the University of Innsbruck, you must prove
English language skills at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages (CEFR) at the time of application. For more information, refer to this document
(search for “Language of instruction English“).
Our offer
Successful candidates will join a dynamic, internationally renowned research team. As fully
funded PhD students, they will investigate novel Cloud and Edge techniques built on Java and
modern virtualization methods.
The research of these PhD positions will be conducted as part of the APOLLO (application
orchestration and runtime framework for leveraging the edge-cloud continuum). Our PhD
students are given the opportunity to work with some of the most advanced Cloud and Edge
infrastructures in Europe and gain interdisciplinary expertise by participating in national and
international (EU-funded H2020) projects. Note that the working and study language and the
entire PhD course and research program are in English only. There is no need to learn German
for these positions.
The University of Innsbruck (UIBK)
Founded in 1669 with several Nobel Prize winners, the University of Innsbruck is the largest
educational institution in Western Austria, ranked as an international top-200 University in
Computer Science. UIBK has a long history in distributed systems and has been involved in a
substantial number of national and international distributed systems projects. We are developing
the Apollo application development and computing environment (https://apollowf.github.io). We
have coordinated several EU projects on distributed and parallel systems, including the
edutain@grid, AllScale, and the ENTICE project. We are currently investigating the
Cloud-Edge-IoT continuum, which is changing from a pure elastic provisioning of virtual
resources to a transparent and adaptive hosting environment that fully realizes the “everything
as a service” provisioning concept, from centralized Cloud to the Edge and from network and
computing infrastructure up to the application layer.
Innsbruck and its Environment
The City of Innsbruck, which has twice hosted the Olympic Winter Games, is located in the
beautiful Tyrolean Alps. The Alpine environment and the urban life in this historically grown town
provide a high quality of life.
Your application
Candidates should submit their application as soon as possible.
Application documents
- Motivation letter (Why does your expertise and vision fit the profile of the open PhD
position?) - Full CV including at least 2 references
- Copy of BSc and MSc degrees
- Transcripts for all study programs
- If available, provide TOEFL and GRE test results
All documents must be submitted in English. They must be merged into a PDF file and sent to
thomas.fahringer@uibk.ac.at (subject line: Full-time PhD Position in Cloud Computing). For
additional files, such as theses and publications, please add a link to a cloud repository in the
submitted PDF and make it accessible. The candidate will receive an e-mail confirming receipt
of the application.
Application Process and Interview
- Interviews will occur in stages as soon as possible, perhaps via Skype.
- Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately, as the position will be filled upon
finding the right candidate. - We reserve the right to hold applications on file for potential future job openings.
Please direct questions to
Prof. Dr. Thomas Fahringer
Institute of Computer Science, University of Innsbruck
Technikerstr. 21a, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Email: Thomas.Fahringer@uibk.ac.at
URL: https://dps.uibk.ac.at