"PhD on timing-aware distributed supervisory controller synthesis"

Are you fascinated by the large role software plays in the control of high-tech systems? Are you eager to contribute to improving supervisory controller development, and making it more structured, resulting in high-quality, functionally correct software? Are you eager to apply and valorize scientific results in this field in high-tech domains such as semiconductor machines, together with a highly innovative industrial partner in the Brainport region? Then, this PhD position is made for you!

Complex dynamical systems, such as semiconductor equipment, consists of many interconnected modules, which are functionally, digitally and physically connected. Supervisory controllers that integrate the behavior of modules into meaningful and expected behavior are becoming increasingly important. Supervisory Controller Synthesis is an engineering approach to automatically derive a supervisory controller for a given discrete-event model that is safe with respect to certain requirements. Yet, the application of the approach is limited by the fact that tools for synthesis cannot always deal with the state space explosion involved in complex systems. The aim of this PhD project is to develop distributed supervisory controller synthesis techniques that are scalable to practical systems.

Current decomposition approaches for supervisory control synthesis, like the multilevel discrete-event systems approach, are not well applicable to manufacturing systems where control involves properties of the manufactured goods, such as the wafers in lithography machines. Furthermore, to make supervisors performance aware and thus go beyond relatively straightforward safety and progress properties, system requirements related to the timing of events and the results from performance optimization need to be included in the models. This PhD position will address these challenges by developing new timing-aware distributed supervisory control synthesis methods.

We invite highly motivated students with a strong background in discrete-event systems, supervisory control theory, and formal methods to apply for the PhD position within the Supervisory Control group, which is part of the Control Systems Technology (CST) section of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The members of this group conduct research on model- and synthesis-based engineering of supervisory controllers, mostly using discrete-event systems.

This PhD position is part of the project on ‘Holistic Design Automation for Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment’, in which 6 PhD students will be employed at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as the departments of Electrical Engineering and Mathematics and Computer Science. You will have the chance to collaborate with ASML to apply the developed results in an industrial context, thereby building both a strong academic and industrial profile.

You will have access to the graduate courses at the Dutch Institute of Systems and Control (DISC) and will have the opportunity to collaborate with industry in the Brainport region and academic researchers worldwide. By joining us, you will be part of a vibrant community of more than 60 researchers including faculty members, postdocs and PhDs working on diverse topics in the field of control systems and its applications.

This PhD position is jointly supervised by Michel Reniers and Martijn Goorden.

Requirements: A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in systems and control, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or computer science. Knowledge of discrete-event systems, and knowledge of or interest in learning about formal methods, in particular, the theory of Supervisory Controller Synthesis. Affinity with application domains within mechanical engineering such as, e.g., mechatronics or robotics. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a passion for tackling complex, multi-disciplinary challenges. A research-oriented attitude. Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team and interested in collaborating with industrial partners. Motivated to develop your teaching skills and coach students. Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).

Conditions of employment: Fixed-term contract: 4 years. A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you: Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment. Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 3,059 max. € 3,881). A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%. High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process. An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities. An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs. A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.