Prospective members

My group designs systems to extract, process, and act on information using tools from optimization, signal processing, control, learning, and probability (not always all of them, not necessarily all at once). If this is something you're interested in, consider joining us in one of the following ways:

 


Postdoc

I do not have open calls for postdoc positions at the moment, but I'm always looking for talented people to join my group. Feel free to reach out to discuss potential opportunities if you are interested in working with me. Include [App postdoc] in the subject line.

 


PhD student

I do not have open calls for PhD position at the moment, but I am always looking for outstanding students to join my group. Feel free to reach out to discuss potential opportunities if you are interested in working with me.

How to apply

Interested candidate should submit their applications via email starting the subject line with [App PhD] and including:

Prior to applying, candidates are expected to review the requirements and recent publications.

Requirements

Consider applying if you

If in addition you

then you should not only consider, but make sure you apply!

Additional information

Why pursue your PhD here?

At École polytechnique (also known as "X") and the CMAP, you have access to a world-class research infrastructure and support, including high performance computing clusters. You also have the opportunity (and means) to interact with leading scientists from a variety of fields; sit on seminars from noteworthy researchers from around the world; and attend major conferences. X is part of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, among the 50 best universities world-wide and #2 in France (QS rank). Located on the Plateau de Saclay, it is surrounded by world-class institutions (such as INRIA, Telecom Paris, CentraleSupélec, ENSAE, HEC), industrial research centers (such as Danone, Thales), and a vibrant start-up community.

You can find more information about the French doctorate system at Campus France. If you have any questions about the positions, the PhD in general, and/or life in France, do not hesitate to reach out.

How much is a PhD salary in France?

PhD student minimal salaries are defined nationally by the government. You can easily find gross values in the law. Net salaries are harder to determine as they depend on your tax situation. In an informal poll of net salaries among PhD students, I got to something in the range of 1700–1800 € (which is consistent with what you get on this website). These are unofficial estimates and therefore come with the typical caveat on internet sources. It is worth noting that PhD students in France are contracted, full-time employees entitled to all social benefits of traditional public sector employment, including sick days and paid time-off (holidays).

Again, if you have any questions about the positions, the PhD in general, and/or life in Paris, do not hesitate to reach out.

Do I need to speak French?

The answer is NO. The official and working language of the group is English. I take this point seriously: having been a foreigner for half of my life, I appreciate the difficulties involved in navigating a new country, culture, and language. Additionally, many courses are offered in English and the majority of university business can be conducted in English.

Now, should you speak French? Probably eventually. Even if Paris is a very international city, speaking French will definitely make your life easier and more fun outside of the university. And if you are going to spend multiple years in a country, you might as well learn the local language. If you do decide to give French a try, there are plenty of French language courses and resources at and around the university, many of them free of charge.

 


Master thesis

The group has a few open master thesis topics, particularly in the areas of generative modeling, inverse design, and reinforcement learning. Master projects typically combine the use of a novel optimization, control, or statistics tool with a practical machine learning or signal processing application. Interested students are expected to have a strong theoretical background and/or be good programmers as well as being able to come up with fresh ideas for challenging research problems.

If you are interested in working with us on any of these topics or other research topic from my group, feel free to send us an email starting the subject line with [App master] and including: