PhD scholarship in Artificial Intelligence

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Southern Denmark (Odense) invites applications for a PhD scholarship in computer science under the umbrella of the Danish Foundation Models initiative. 

The proposed starting date is 1 October 2026 or soon thereafter. The appointment will be made for a term of three years at a competitive salary and will follow the PhD study programme at the Faculty of Science.

The ideal candidate has a background in or experience with one or more of the following topics:

• Development of deep learning models
• Mathematical foundations of machine learning
• Optimal deployment of AI systems

The candidate is expected to hold a relevant MSc degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Physics, (Applied) Mathematics, Computational Statistics or another field that provides a sufficient degree of background in computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematics and data science.

Fluency in English and Python are required. Fluence in Rust/C++, experience working with deep learning software stacks, extensive software development experience, and knowledge of machine learning frameworks are pluses.

MSc candidates about to complete will also be considered and should attach a statement from their supervisors regarding their impending completion.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced language models and derived use cases by focusing on one or more of the following topics in their PhD project:

• LLM customization and test-time scaling
• Agentic behaviour and tool use
• Multi-modality and interactivity

The successful candidate will become part of the Odense NLP group under the Centre for Machine Learning. The centre is part of the Data Science & Statistics section at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. The department offers an inclusive and international working environment with state-of-the-art facilities and strong traditions for collaboration across research groups, departments and faculties, and with other organisations like educational institutions, municipalities, and companies. The degrees offered by the department include BSc and MSc degrees in Computer Science, a BSc degree in Artificial Intelligence, and an MSc degree in Data Science.

Contact information
For more information about the department and the position, please contact Professor Peter Schneider-Kamp ([email protected]).

If you experience technical problems, please contact [email protected].  

Conditions of employment
Appointment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position.

Employment of a PhD fellow can only happen after the PhD School has approved the candidate for admission. 

Employment as a PhD fellow is governed by the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state with the associated circular on the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for PhD fellows as described herein as well as the Protocol on PhD fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). 

Further information about salary and conditions of employment.

The person employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a self-organiser.

The assessment and evaluation process
Shortlisting may be used in the assessment process. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will receive an assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU.

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee, and the shortlisted applicants will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns them. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicants to provide the necessary material.

Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation. 

Application, salary etc.
Appointment as a PhD Research Fellow is for three years. Employment stops automatically at the end of the period (the 5 PLUS 3 programme).

Further information about the PhD programme at the Faculty of Science can be found at the homepage of the University.

To qualify for the position as PhD fellow you must have obtained a master’s degree (equivalent to a Danish master’s degree) by the enrollment/employment date. 

Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material, and the application must include:

• Motivated application
• Curriculum vitae, including personal contact information and date entries
• Bachelor’s and master’s degree, including transcript of grades (copy of original verified English translation)
• A complete list of publications if you have any
• Up to three of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication. 
• The names and complete contact details (phone numbers and e-mail) of at least two referees details for at least 2 referees who can vouch for your skills.   
• A statement of other qualifications relevant to the position.

Shortlisting may be used in the assessment process. Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated. This also applies to reference letters.

Applications will be assessed by an expert assessor/committee. Applicants will be informed of their assessment by the university.

The application and all appendices must be in ENGLISH.  We request files in pdf-format no more than 5 MB per file. All pdf-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected. 

Documents should not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

UPLOAD GUIDE: Motivated application shall be uploaded as ‘Cover letter’, Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded as ‘Resume’. All other documents shall be uploaded as ‘Miscellaneous documents’.

If the application does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the faculty may reject your application without further notice. Applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.

As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process.

SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary.

The application deadline is 7 September 2026 at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)

The University of Southern Denmark wishes to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.

Applications should be sent electronically via the link “Apply now”. The faculty expects applicants to read the information “How to apply for a position at SDU” before applying. Please note that the application documents should be in pdf-format and attached as three documents: motivation letter, CV and the remaining documents.

We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Work in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU.

About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.