PhD student position to conduct research on near real time optimization of non-linear problems with discrete decision variables Part-time

PhD student position to conduct research on near real time optimization of non-linear problems with discrete decision variables

Czech Technical University in Prague is seeking a PhD student to conduct research on near real time optimization of non-linear problems with discrete decision variables as a part of a project associated with CEZ, the largest utility in Central and Eastern Europe with extensive activities in the generation, distribution, trade in, and sales of electricity and heat, as well as trade in and sales of natural gas.

The student will be responsible for developing methods for controlling these complex systems using the tools of mixed integer optimization, homotopy, semi-definite programs, finite element method and other suitable tools that lead to computationally tractable and theoretically analyzable models. More specifically, the interest will center around two specific challenging problems: optimizing system-wide reservoir operation and the aggregated control of distributed generative resources. Besides the theoretical research advancements, the candidate will also have the opportunity to implement the proposed solutions demonstrating their utility further.

The PhD student will be co-supervised by Ales Wodecki and Jakub Marecek. A degree in mathematics, computer science, or similar, proficiency in written and spoken English, and competence in programming are expected of the applicant. If interested, please send a CV and motivation letter to [Please click the Apply button for the link or address].

You may find some relevant references below:

Bellon et al., SIAM Optimization 2024, https://arxiv.org/pdf/2210.08387.pdf
Liu et al., submitted, https://arxiv.org/abs/2211.02939

Rytíř et al., submitted, https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.03400

The position is full-time, available immediately, and limited to 3 years in the first instance. The studentship comes with a monthly salary adjusted to approximately match the average salary in Prague, the Czech Republic (which currently stands at approximately EUR 30K p.a. before a notably low tax), and a travel budget. CTU’s offices are centrally-located with easy access to local attractions (as well as a view of Prague Castle).

Czech Technical University (CTU) is the oldest non-military technical university in Europe. CTU’s Artificial Intelligence Center (AIC) with a staff of 150 is widely recognized as one of the best in the region. CSRankings.org currently ranks CTU at number 7 in Europe within AI and Computer Vision, after ETH Zurich, Technion, Imperial, Max Planck, EPFL and TU Munich.

Application deadline: 25/2/2026 or untill the position is filled.

Tagged as: Computer Science