Affiliated WASP PhD student positions

Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) is Sweden’s largest ever individual research program, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education, and faculty recruitment. The program addresses research on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information, and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems-of-systems. The vision of WASP is Excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and software for the benefit of Swedish society and industry.

The WASP Graduate School provides the skills needed to analyze, develop, and contribute to the interdisciplinary area of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and software. Through an ambitious program with research visits, partner universities, and visiting lecturers, the graduate school actively supports forming a strong multi-disciplinary and international professional network between PhD students, researchers, and industry. The graduate school adds value on top of the existing PhD programs at the partner universities, providing unique opportunities for students who are dedicated to achieving international research excellence with industrial relevance. Further information about WASP Graduate School is found here.

Open positions within WASP Graduate School

The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program hereby announces a call for up to 10 affiliated WASP PhD student positions at the five partner universities Chalmers, KTH, Linköping University, Lund University and Umeå University as well as at the Affiliated Groups of Excellence at Örebro University, Uppsala University and Luleå Technical University. The purpose of the call is to provide the opportunity for PhD students not funded by WASP to be part of the WASP Graduate School. WASP aims at increasing the gender balance and building a culture based on inclusion and diversity.

The call aims to achieve a gender balanced outcome.

Selection criteria

For a PhD student to be accepted to the affiliation program the candidate must satisfy the following:

• The student is currently an academic or industrial PhD student, or starts no later than 2025-01-01, with an activity level of at least 80%.
• The student must belong to one of the five partner universities Chalmers, KTH, Linköping University, Lund University and Umeå University or one of the Affiliated Groups of Excellence at Örebro University, Uppsala University and Luleå Technical University.
• The main research topic must be within one of the WASP research areas.
• The student has completed at most 1 active year of PhD studies on 2024-10-01. Active studies do not include formal study breaks or a delayed start (due to COVID-19 or other).
• The student has a strong academic track record.
• Relevant industrial experience is favorable.
• Priority will be given to underrepresented gender.

Commitment from PhD student

• The student is committed to take part in the WASP courses (a mix of mandatory and elective courses corresponding to 27hp or more) and activities.
• A commitment to participate and contribute to the WASP research arenas is seen as very positive.
• It is mandatory to be present at the Winter Conference January 14-16, 2025.

Commitment from the university or company of the PhD student

The university or company has full responsibility for the financing of the student including salary, office space, indirect costs, regular travel costs, and travel costs to all WASP course meetings, and WASP activities. If admitted, the affiliated PhD student will gain access to apply for research stints abroad as well as postdoctoral fellowships on the same terms as WASP funded PhD students.

Commitment from the WASP Graduate School

If admitted, the affiliated PhD student will gain full access to the WASP graduate school on the same terms as WASP PhD students except that they will have to cover their own costs. If the affiliated PhD student satisfies the requirements, he or she will get a WASP PhD Certificate/Diploma. WASP will offer possibilities for participating in courses, arenas, conferences, international trips, summer schools and other activities.

Application and evaluation

The application including requested documents (see below) should be submitted by the PhD student’s main academic supervisor to WASP application portal no later than 2024-10-31.

Apply here

Documents to be uploaded in the application portal:

• The CV, including transcript with grades, and the individual study plan of the student
• A description of the student’s research project, how it relates to WASP research and foreseen/existing collaboration with WASP. (Max 1 page)
• A letter of recommendation from the supervisor describing the student’s commitment and motivating why the student should be accepted to the program. (Max 1 page)
• A letter of recommendation from at least one WASP collaborator if the supervisor is not part of WASP, for example already supervising WASP PhD students or being part of some management group.

The applications are reviewed by the Graduate School Management Group, based on the selection criteria and a recommendation is made to the WASP board, who makes the final decision. Decisions are announced in early December 2024. Accepted students are expected to start on 2025-01-01.

Information and guidance

Timetable