PhD student (Doctoral Researcher) positions in Deep Learning for Natural Language Processing F/M

Role Summary

The Natural Language Understanding (NLU) group at Idiap works at the intersection of machine learning and natural language processing, with an emphasis on representation learning for the meaning of language, attention-based deep learning models, and structured prediction.

As part of the ERC Advanced grant BALM, the NLU group at Idiap Research Institute seeks qualified candidates for two PhD student positions at the intersection of machine learning and natural language processing.  These researchers will investigate representation learning for language, helping to control LLMs by controlling their latent memory, using the abstract and interpretable attention-based latent representations induced by our nonparametric variational information bottleneck. The group will leverage and extend these representations to develop new deep learning architectures and investigate their interpretability, controllability and applications.

The successful PhD candidates will join the BALM project and the Natural Language Understanding group at Idiap, under the supervision of Dr. James Henderson.  They will also become doctoral students at EPFL (http://www.epfl.ch) conditional on a separate application to, and acceptance by, the EPFL Doctoral School (http://phd.epfl.ch/applicants).  

Appointment for a PhD position is for a maximum of 4 years, provided progress is successful, and should lead to a dissertation.  Starting date is to be negotiated, but expected to be September-October 2026.  All queries related to the advertised position can be sent to Dr. James Henderson (james.henderson@idiap.ch). Idiap takes gender balance and diversity seriously in our hiring decisions.

Application deadline: 1st April 2026

Your Profile

The ideal PhD candidate should hold a Masters degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, or related fields.  She/he should have a background in machine learning or natural language processing.  The applicant should also have strong mathematical and programming skills.

About Idiap

Idiap is a research institute of national importance that engages in fundamental research, education and technology transfer in artificial intelligence. Idiap offers competitive salaries and conditions in a dynamic, multicultural environment. Idiap is located in Martigny, Valais, a scenic region in the south of Switzerland, surrounded by the highest mountains of Europe, and offering exceptional quality of life, exciting recreational activities, including hiking, climbing and skiing, as well as varied cultural activities.

At Idiap, we believe that diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. If you believe that you could excel in this role, but you are not sure you meet all the required criteria, we very much welcome your application.

Langues souhaitées

• Anglais - Niveau avancé

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