PhD position on reversible programming languages and their use for energy efficient cyber-physical systems

successful candidate.

The application deadline is November 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST).

he position is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks programme, grant agreement no. 101120187. MSCA eligibility rules apply, see the section "What we expect" below. Read more about the network at https://e-core.nws.cs.unibo.it/.

What we offer

E-CoRe is a European doctoral network on reversible computing. Reversible computation discards no information and therefore avoids the fundamental energy lower bound of conventional computing. The network trains a cohort of doctoral candidates who will improve and popularise reversible languages, algorithms, and architectures for energy-intensive applications. As one of the E-CoRe doctoral candidates you join a cohort at partner universities across Europe, take part in joint training schools and network events, and spend secondments at partner institutions, currently planned at the University of Bologna and the University of Manchester.

The main supervisor is Professor Ulrik Pagh Schultz, whose research spans programming languages, software engineering, robotics, and drones. You will be co-supervised by researchers from the Software Engineering section, and you will collaborate closely with the reversible computing group at the University of Copenhagen, which is also an E-CoRe partner. The position connects to other ongoing projects at the Drone Center, including WildBotics (a newly started Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral network) and Robotic Intercropping, and to local companies such as Spaceline.

The position addresses a programming languages question with an applied setting: how do we write software in reversible programming languages for systems where energy matters, and how much energy does this save? The setting is low-energy computations for cyber-physical systems such as perching aerial robots and IoT devices. The work belongs to the E-CoRe work package on applications and builds on the languages and tools developed elsewhere in the network. Concretely, the work includes the following:

• Implementing algorithms in reversible programming languages and extending these languages where the application domain requires new constructs or idioms.
• Integrating the resulting software into simulated cyber-physical systems, such as perching drones and IoT sensing scenarios.
• Estimating energy consumption through combined hardware-level and system-level analysis, using the modelling framework developed in the network.
• Answering the central research question of the position: how do the energy savings from reversible computation correlate with the I/O characteristics of the system?
• Publishing the results at international conferences and in journals in programming languages, software engineering, and cyber-physical systems.

The position may involve co-supervising related student projects. You are expected to participate in the Drone Center's project portfolio and outreach activities and in the training programme of the E-CoRe network.

What we expect

We expect you to hold an MSc in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field, or to complete one before the start date. The core of the work is programming languages and software. You do not need experience with drones or embedded hardware, and you do not need prior knowledge of reversible computing. You should have experience with, and an interest in, some of the following:

• Programming language design and implementation.
• Functional or declarative programming, or other work with languages beyond the mainstream.
• Software design and development in languages such as C, C++, Rust, Python, or Haskell.
• Algorithms and their analysis.
• Simulation, modelling, or energy estimation of computing systems.
• Embedded, real-time, or robotic software.

We expect you to write and speak English fluently, to work independently and with an international team, and to travel for the secondments and network events described above. We furthermore expect you to publish findings at recognised international conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

The position follows the rules of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and you must meet all of the following conditions at the recruitment date:

• You do not hold a doctoral degree. Applicants who have defended a doctoral thesis but not yet been awarded the degree are not eligible.
• Mobility rule: you have not resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date. Short stays such as holidays are disregarded, as is compulsory national service and time covered by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
• You are eligible regardless of nationality.

Recruitment follows the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The process is open, transparent, merit-based, and equitable. The position is also announced on the Euraxess portal.

Workplace description

The SDU Drone Center is part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at the Faculty of Engineering, located on the main SDU campus in Odense. At the center we research civilian drone technologies and their applications in agriculture, inspection, energy, healthcare, and nature conservation. We collaborate closely with companies in the robotics community around Odense and with research partners in Denmark and abroad. You will be part of an international group of PhD students, postdocs, engineers, and faculty working on autonomous systems and the software behind them.

Further information

For further information, please contact Professor Ulrik Pagh Schultz (ups@mmmi.sdu.dk).

If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support.

Application

Before applying the candidates are advised to read the Faculty information for prospective PhD students and the SDU information on how to apply.

Assessment of candidates is based on the application material, and the application must include:

1. Motivated application.
2. Curriculum Vitae.
3. A statement of where you have resided and carried out your main activity in the 36 months before the expected recruitment date, to document the MSCA mobility rule.
4. List of publications and maximum 2 examples of relevant publications (in case you have any publications).
5. Master's and Bachelor's degree certificates or equivalent, including transcripts of grades (original and an official English translation).
6. Completed TEK PhD application form for 5+3 applicants. Find the form at the Faculty website.
7. Completed TEK PhD form for calculation grade point average. Find the form at the Faculty website.
8. An official document describing the grading scheme of the awarding universities (if not Danish).
9. Only for applicants from programmes that evaluate thesis/examination project by approved/not approved: An official written assessment of the thesis or dissertation project from the grade giving institution. The statement must clearly state that the candidate has been among the top 30 pct. in the graduation class for the study programme.
10. References may be included, you're welcome to use the form for reference letter at the Faculty website.
11. A statement/documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position may also be included.

All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration number) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked, allow binding and may not be password protected.

SUBMISSION GUIDE: Motivated application must be uploaded under 'Cover letter' (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae must be uploaded under 'Resume' (max 5 MB). All other documents must be uploaded under 'Miscellaneous documents' (max 10 files with a maximum 50 MB per file).

The application deadline is November 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST)

Assessment and selection process

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied, and only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU. Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation.

Enrollment and employment terms

Appointment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position. The position follows the MSCA Doctoral Networks funding rules. The MSCA contribution consists of a monthly living allowance of EUR 5,325.28, a monthly mobility allowance of EUR 710, and, where applicable, a monthly family allowance of EUR 660. These amounts are gross contributions to the employer. The salary paid to you is derived from these amounts after employer costs and is subject to Danish income tax and social contributions. If you have relevant postgraduate experience, this may be reflected in the salary placement within the Danish collective agreement.

The preferred start date is from 1 January 2027.

Applicants must hold a master's degree (equivalent to a Danish master's degree) at the time of enrollment and employment. Employment is contingent on enrollment approved by the PhD School. Enrollment will be in accordance with Faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order). Employment will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state including the associated circular on the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for PhD fellows as described therein as well as the Protocol on PhD fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements. As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process. SDU does not collect information on applicants' previous salary. Further information on salary and taxation.

Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a "self-organizer".

The University of Southern Denmark wishes its staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, is subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position(s).

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101120187.

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