PhD position in the field of Reasoning in Machine Learning (Prof. I. Bogunovic and A. Lucchi)

The research groups of Prof. I. Bogunovic and Prof. A. Lucchi at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Basel are inviting applications for a PhD position focused on the foundations and applications of reasoning with large language models (LLMs), including emerging diffusion-based LLM architectures. The successful candidate will investigate both theoretical aspects – such as understanding the mechanisms and limitations of reasoning in modern LLMs – and practical applications, including solving mathematical reasoning problems. The ideal candidate has a strong background in machine learning and an interest in bridging rigorous theoretical insights with challenging real-world tasks. They will also explore reinforcement learning strategies to optimize decision-making policies in complex environments, and develop fine-tuning protocols for large pre-trained models to adapt them to specialized reasoning domains as well as to address a generalization gap in LLM reasoning and their adaptation across reasoning domains. This work will blend cutting-edge experimentation – spanning RL, few-shot learning, meta-learning, etc. – with formal analysis to push the boundaries of what modern AI systems can reliably reason about.
 
Position available starting around July 2026 (position may begin later as well). The duration of a PhD in Switzerland is 4 years.

Your positionYour tasks include:

• Conduct research in the field of applied mathematics and computer science
• Write research papers, articles, and present results at leading international conferences. We publish in venues such as ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR, JMLR, AISTATS, and more
• Interact with national and international teams of mathematicians and computer scientists

Your profilePhD applicants must possess a Master's degree in mathematics, theoretical physics, or computer science. Candidates should have an exceptional academic record and a robust mathematical foundation. Candidates are also expected to have strong coding and implementation skills, with the ability to run large-scale experiments. While research experience is advantageous for PhD applicants, it is not mandatory.Excellent communication skills and fluency in English (spoken and written) are required.We also seek to increase the number of women and other groups in areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourage such groups to apply.We offer you

• Close supervision of your research, working with and access to national (EPFL and ETH among others) and international collaborators
• A diverse range of tasks in a dynamic environment
• The possibility of traveling to international conferences to meet with distinguished scientists
• Excellent salary, benefits, and working conditions

Application / Contact
 
If interested, please send us an application as described below.
Your application should include **two pdf file** containing the following files:

• Short motivation statement (maximum 150 words) explaining your interest in the position and justifying why your background is a good fit for the position
• Curriculum vitae (including a list of publications, if applicable)
• Scanned transcripts of bachelor's and master's degree
• Contact info (no direct recommendation letters) for peers who can recommend you
• Your latest thesis (and/or one of your publications, if applicable)

You are encouraged to send your application before April 15, 2026. However, there is no deadline for applying, and the position will be open until a suitable candidate is found.