"Postdoctoral Research Position in Foundation Models and Applications Lab (FMAL)"

The Foundation Models and Applications Lab (FMAL) at the Lucy Family Institute for Data and Society seeks highly motivated and enthusiastic candidates to fill a post-doctoral research fellow position in the area of Foundation Models and their applications. The candidate will work with Dr. Meng Jiang and Dr. Xiangliang Zhang, Directors of FMAL, as well as other faculty and staff at the Institute and industry partners.

This position presents unique opportunities to gain research experience, pursue professional development, and contribute to interdisciplinary projects alongside a team of distinguished scholars and leading researchers in the field.

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will focus on the development and application of Foundation Models, ranging from single-model large language models (LLMs) to multimodal architectures such as vision-language models (VLMs). The role involves both independent and collaborative research, driving innovative projects at the forefront of the lab's agenda, including model design and fine-tuning, rigorous evaluation/benchmarking, and dissemination via top-tier publications and open-source releases.

Qualifications: Required - Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related discipline, obtained between November 2020 and January 2026. Strong foundation in machine learning/AI (theory and practice). Proficiency in programming (e.g., Python; modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch/JAX/TensorFlow). Excellent written and oral communication; demonstrated ability to collaborate on interdisciplinary teams. Preferred - Record of publications in peer-reviewed venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, KDD, CVPR, ACL; or relevant journals). Experience building, fine-tuning, and evaluating large models, foundation models, or multimodal models. Open-source contributions, reproducible research practices, and/or mentoring experience.

We will begin reviewing completed applications on Nov 1, 2025 until the position is filled. The position can start immediately and no later than Jan 15, 2026. The position is funded for a year with a possibility for an extension for another year, depending on performance. Salary will commensurate with skills and experience, and the position is benefit-eligible.

Questions about the positions may be addressed to Dr. Meng Jiang at mjiang2@nd.edu and Dr. Xiangliang Zhang at xzhang33@nd.edu.

To apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/173333.