PhD Position in Electrical Engineering

This project involves generative modeling to address missingness in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) of brain tissue. The missingness can happen along two dimensions: spatial (super resolution) and feature (data imputation). Enhancing the quality of MSI advances our understanding of complex brain processes. The prospective PhD candidate collects brain MSI data and develops novel machine learning methods in connection to generative models such as flow matching.

Therefore, the doctoral student is primarily expected to be comfortable with using and developing new machine learning models, specifically generative ones, and publishing the results at top machine learning venues. The project involves collecting and curating a MSI benchmark in the first year targeted for NeurIPS 2026 to be then used as the test-bed for the developed ML techniques in subsequent publications. The student will join Azizpour’s group at KTH. The position is in collaboration with the CBH school, and Uppsala University. It is funded by the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) and the student joins its research program.

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
• prior education and research experience in machine learning

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
• analyse and work with complex issues
• have research experience and education in theory and practice of generative modeling
• have research experience or education in life science data
• have prior experience with remote GPU and HPC services

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

Information regarding admission and employment

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.

Application Process

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:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• 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.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values. 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.

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

About KTH

KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has grown to become one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation. We are Sweden’s largest technical research and learning institution and home to students, researchers and faculty from around the world. Our research and education covers a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history and philosophy.

Monthly salary according to KTH's doctoral student salary agreement.