Description

The eBRAIN laboratory in the Division of Engineering at New York University Abu Dhabi invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Associate position, to work in the area of research and development (R&D) of Security of advanced machine learning (ML) systems, covering both adversarial and backdoor attacks and defenses, and their real-world applications from different fields like autonomous systems, robotics, and smart homes/cities.

The focus of the eBRAIN lab is on building energy-efficient and robust brain-inspired, autonomous, and cognitive systems through cross-layer analysis and design methods, engaging hardware, software, and system level techniques synergistically. Prof. Shafique’s lab has many-years of R&D experience in cross-layer design and optimization for building energy-efficient and robust AI/ML and vision systems, including efficient learning and inference of complex AI/ML algorithms, specialized neural processing hardware and design tools, and ML security, and their applications in resource-constrained embedded AI/ML systems like autonomous vehicles, UAVs, Robotics, smart houses/cities, Wearables, and Healthcare. The long-term vision of the eBRAIN lab is on embedding an energy-efficient and secure electronic brain inside modern cyber-physical systems (CPS) and IoT-Edge devices to enable assistive cognitive technologies that care for / serve humanity and the ecosystem in a safe and green way.

The successful applicants will join and drive a large-scale project on investigating novel attacks and defenses for advanced machine learning systems, covering both adversarial and backdoor threats, and their practical demonstration in real-world use cases from autonomous vehicles, smart city/home, and Internet-of-Things. This project involves security explorations for different types of deep neural networks deployed in real-world settings, and their prototyping. A key focus will be on IP generation, patenting, high-quality publications in top-tier ML/AI, Robotics, Security and Systems conferences, and efficient prototyping for real-world use-cases. The candidates will work in a multidisciplinary environment consisting of PhD-level scientists, research engineers, graduate research students and undergraduate students, to investigate cutting-edge scientific methods and to develop full-system prototypes. The eBRAIN lab offers an excellent working environment in an international team with many development possibilities. The candidates are expected to work in a highly collaborative environment with other lab members and industry collaborators.

Requirements: Applicants should have a PhD in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Extensive and sound knowledge of ML, AI, deep neural networks (DNN), ML Security (adversarial and backdoor threats), ML frameworks (like PyTorch and Tensorflow), and Prototyping ML systems is required. The candidate should demonstrate a solid experience in practical ML system development. Additional knowledge on MLOps, robust/secure computing, privacy-preserving ML, cryptography, and hardware design skills (FPGA and/or ASIC) is highly desirable. Applicants with strong industrial experience and/or with publications at top/A* ML venues (conferences and journals) are highly preferred. The candidates are also expected to have strong organization, problem-solving, analytical, communication and writing skills as well as high motivation to pursue world-class research and development for practical ML/AI systems.

Application Procedure: The terms of employment for these positions include very competitive salary with additional attractive benefits, including generous housing allowance, medical insurance with access to world class facilities, annual home leave allowance, and (if applicable) dependent private school fees. Salaries are tax-free in the UAE (for US tax, the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can be used). The researchers will have dedicated funds for traveling, computing, publications, etc. and will have access to excellent world-class research facilities.

The preferred starting date is Summer 2023, but earlier dates are also possible based on the excellence of the candidate and the processing steps. Applications will be accepted immediately and candidates will be considered until the position is filled. Review of applications will start on February 01, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled.

To be considered, all applicants must submit the following documents, all in PDF format.

1. A cover letter
2. Detailed curriculum vitae (CV) with R&D and programming skillset
3. Full list of professional/industrial experience and scientific publications
4. University degrees and transcripts (with grades), or a letter from supervisor/university officials regarding tentative completion date.
5. 1-page executive summaries of PhD Theses
6. 1-page summary of professional experience, future growth plans
7. 1-page of R&D accomplishments and interests
8. 1-page letter of motivation
9. At least 2 letters of recommendation with contact information of the referees (can be provided later, if slightly more time is required)
10. R&D statement with an envisioned workplan over 2 years (can be provided after shortlisting)
11. Download links for the PDFs of PhD Theses (if available)

If you have any questions, please email Prof. Muhammad Shafique at muhammad.shafique@nyu.edu.

About NYUAD:

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.

EOE/AA/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Employer

UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply.

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NYU is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, diversity, and social inclusion.