Ph.D. Position in Foundational AI/ML

Jul 1, 2026. The Machine Learning Research Group at Florida Institute of Technology, located in Melbourne, Florida, USA, invites applications for a doctoral student position in foundational artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

About the Position

The position is intended for applicants interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science. This is an in-person, on-campus position at Florida Tech’s Melbourne, Florida campus.

The selected student is expected to start no later than January 11, 2027, the first day of Florida Tech’s Spring 2027 semester. Applicants should treat December 1, 2026, as the latest date to submit all required application items for Spring 2027 admission.

The selected student is expected to receive financial support through a research assistantship, including stipend and tuition support.

Research Direction

This position is best suited for a student who is motivated primarily by foundational AI/ML research, while also being interested in applying such methods to high-impact scientific and engineering problems, especially in the Earth sciences.

The doctoral research is expected to contribute to foundational AI/ML, including methodological and, where appropriate, theoretical advances in areas such as probabilistic modeling, generative modeling, uncertainty quantification, representation learning, and learning from high-dimensional spatiotemporal data. The student’s research assistantship will be connected to an interdisciplinary project that applies these advances to scientific and engineering problems, likely including Earth science applications.

The selected student can expect strong research and career mentoring, immersion in a collaborative research environment, and opportunities to work on interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of AI/ML, engineering, computer science, and scientific applications. By the time of graduation, the student is expected to have developed into an independent researcher with a strong publication record in AI/ML and related application areas.

Qualifications

Applicants should have earned, or expect to earn before starting the position, at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, applied mathematics, statistics, or a related quantitative field.

The ideal candidate will have strong analytical ability, mathematical maturity, and solid programming skills. Prior experience with machine learning, probabilistic modeling, deep learning, optimization, signal/image processing, scientific computing, or related areas is desirable. Proficiency in Python and experience with PyTorch or similar machine-learning frameworks are considered a plus.

Degree Programs and Admission

The selected student must be admitted to one of Florida Tech’s doctoral programs in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.

Applicants should consult Florida Tech’s graduate admission requirements and program-specific application instructions before submitting a formal application.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should contact Dr. Georgios C. Anagnostopoulos before submitting a formal application to Florida Tech. Please use the group’s Contact page for current contact details and send the following materials, preferably as PDF files:

• Unofficial transcripts, in English
• Current CV/resume
• A one-page statement of research interests
• Names and contact information of at least two professional references

The statement of research interests should briefly describe the applicant’s research background, relevant skills, scholarly goals, and reasons for interest in this position.

Review of expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.