Doctoral student in Software Engineering Full-time

Doctoral Student In Software Engineering

The doctoral work will be done as part of research project “AI for Code”. Formal verification attempts to provide mathematical guarantees about the correctness of computer programs. In learning-assisted approaches, neural networks guide formal methods by taking as input a textual or symbolic representation of a program and outputting candidate invariants, specifications, or proofs. These networks are composed of learnable parameters trained via back-propagation to align with formal correctness objectives. In this project, we will study the feasibility and applicability of using AI to generate and verify formal guarantees for smart contract programs. The Ph.D. candidate will work towards this goal by conducting research on machine learning for formal verification and automated theorem proving. The candidate will join a group of researchers working on related topics, and is expected to bring expertise in the areas of formal methods, smart contracts, and machine learning.

The candidate should have a strong background in computer science. The PhD student is expected to publish in the top conferences and journals in the field of Software Engineering. The working language is English as this is needed in the daily work.

Supervision: Professor Martin Monperrus is proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyze and work with complex issues.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal skills.

Target Degree: Doctoral Degree

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. In the case of studies that are to be completed with a licentiate degree, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

As a doctoral student, you are entitled to a workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH's Doctoral student salary agreement.

To Apply For The Position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified.
• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

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Type of employment: Temporary position

Contract type: Full time

Full-time equivalent: 100%

First day of employment: According to agreement

Salary: Monthly salary according to KTH's doctoral student salary agreement

Number of positions: 1

Location: Stockholm

County: Stockholms län

Country: Sweden

Reference number: PA-2026-0787

Published: 12.Mar.2026

Last application date: 21.Mar.2026

Contact: Martin Monperrus, monperrus@kth.se +4687906337