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<p>-------- Forwarded Message --------</p>
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<td>[DMANET] / Postdoctoral Position in Quantum
Combinatorial Optimization /</td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 30 May 2023 18:56:27 +0200</td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">From: </th>
<td>Samuel Deleplanque <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:deleplanque.samuel@gmail.com"><deleplanque.samuel@gmail.com></a></td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dmanet@zpr.uni-koeln.de">dmanet@zpr.uni-koeln.de</a></td>
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<br>
<br>
JUNIA is a French graduate school of science and engineering
focused on<br>
ecological, digital and technological transitions, where students
(about<br>
5,000) and faculty confront the grand challenges of today and
tomorrow.<br>
JUNIA has over 120 faculty researchers, engineers, and
technicians—as well<br>
as nearly 100 PhD students and post-doctorate researchers—on 17
research<br>
teams across our campuses. Several of the research teams
contribute to<br>
mixed research unit with the French National Center for Scientific
Research<br>
(CNRS) like IEMN (UMR8520).<br>
<br>
As part of the Catholic University of Lille, JUNIA is also at the
right<br>
place to collaborate with laboratories of the University,
especially the<br>
ETHICS laboratory. ETHICS (EA 7446) is an accredited and
multidisciplinary<br>
research unit whose scientific object is defined by the ELSI
(Ethical,<br>
Legal and Social Implications) as well as philosophical questions
and<br>
aspects raised by the anthropological, technological, and
socio-economic<br>
mutations of the contemporary world.<br>
<br>
*Subject Area*<br>
<br>
The broad area of research is Discrete Optimization with quantum
computers.<br>
<br>
*Project description*<br>
<br>
In this postdoc, the candidate will have to solve problems adapted
to<br>
quantum machines. The successful candidate will work under the
supervision<br>
of Samuel Deleplanque from the IEMN laboratory, Lille, France.<br>
<br>
Today, many quantum machines are accessible for mathematicians and<br>
informaticians since many machines or algorithms are taking
Quadratic<br>
Unconstrained Binary Optimization models (QUBO) as input. This is
the case<br>
for analog adiabatic D-Wave machines (e.g., Advantage, D-Wave
2000Q),<br>
analog Pasqal machines and algorithms such as Quantum Approximate<br>
Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) for gated based universal quantum
computers<br>
(e.g., IBM Osprey QPU). The focus will be on D-Wave machines.<br>
<br>
The candidate will first consider general Combinatorial
Optimization<br>
problems (e.g., Max-Cut, Min-k-Cut, Max Clique, Minimum Vertex
Coloring,<br>
Maximum Independent Set and other types of problems, such as the
NP-Hard<br>
3Sat). For solving these problems on quantum machines, set of
instances,<br>
theoretical results such as problems reductions (e.g., 3SAT ≤p
MIS) and<br>
limits of machines (from the topology: the qubits graph and
especially its<br>
degree, e.g., Zephyr, Chimera, and Pegasus on D-Wave machines)
have to be<br>
taken into- account to propose the best way to solve the problem.
The<br>
selection of the problems to be solved will be made according to
their<br>
level of adaptation to quantum machines.<br>
<br>
Second, the candidate will have to focus on a more applicable
problem<br>
related to logistics (vehicle scheduling (e.g., TSP, CVRP, etc.))
or<br>
related to production and project scheduling (Lot-Sizing, RCPSP,
Job-Shop<br>
Scheduling, etc.). Her/his preference will be considered.<br>
<br>
Third, a hybrid solution will have to be studied on the problem
considered<br>
earlier in a way to propose a quantum resolution where there is a<br>
computational performance problem with classical computers. A
heuristic<br>
scheme based on a classical computer which will alternate native
resolution<br>
and quantum computer calls for solving a subproblem. Moreover,
some aspects<br>
of the postdoc can be proposed by the candidate. For example,
optimization<br>
problems linked to artificial intelligence, biology, or chemical
research.<br>
<br>
Finally, if time permits, the postdoc will study Hamiltonians
simulation<br>
(Hadfield (2018)[1]) to be used through discretized adiabatic
algorithms<br>
implemented for a gated based universal quantum computer. The goal
is to<br>
compare performance with analog machines and to study the
potential large<br>
scope of such methods.<br>
<br>
*Original additional mission*<br>
<br>
The candidate will collaborate with the "Ethics, Technology &
Humanities"<br>
(ETH+) team of the ETHICS laboratory, in the reflection on
societal and<br>
ethical issues raised by recent developments in quantum computing
in<br>
general. In this respect, the candidate is not expected to have a
specific<br>
competence in humanities and social sciences, but to be open and
willing to<br>
reflect with colleagues from other disciplines on the societal,
ethical,<br>
and philosophical issues raised by the rise of artificial
intelligence and<br>
quantum computing as emerging technologies. To this end, the
candidate will<br>
contribute with researchers from his or her JUNIA laboratory and<br>
researchers from ETH+ (ETHICS), to the organization of a
multidisciplinary<br>
symposium on the scientific, societal, and ethical issues of
quantum<br>
computing. He or she will also participate with the ETH+ team in
the<br>
preparation and holding of two workshops bringing together
scientists and<br>
citizens on the theme of artificial intelligence, including
quantum<br>
computing. This project is part of a participatory science
approach<br>
supported by international research (nhnai.org) in progress.<br>
<br>
*Requirements and eligibility criteria*<br>
<br>
- The expected candidate must have strong Mathematical Programming
skills<br>
(MILP, especially with binary models) with a preference for
quadratic<br>
modeling (see Glover (2019)[2], Lucas (2014)[3]) and with
experience in<br>
constraint relaxation.<br>
<br>
- Quantum algorithm knowledge is not requisite but valuable.<br>
<br>
- Since the input of these machines generally propose an API
implementable<br>
with Python code, some abilities in this language are also
expected. Some<br>
C++ and/or RUST programming skills are a plus for a potential
hybrid<br>
quantum-classical computer solution.<br>
<br>
- Curiosity in quantum technologies and generally in IT is very
welcome.<br>
<br>
- No specific competence in humanities and social sciences is
expected, but<br>
intellectual openness to interdisciplinary dialogue, curiosity,
and<br>
willingness to reflect on the societal aspects of quantum
computing is<br>
required.<br>
<br>
*Working conditions / Hard facts*<br>
<br>
Start of contract: September 1st, 2023<br>
<br>
Type of contract: Fixed -term contract under public law – Social
security<br>
coverage<br>
<br>
Duration of the contract: 24 months – Full time<br>
<br>
Salary: depending on experience<br>
<br>
Geographic location: Lille (France) - JUNIA campus<br>
<br>
<br>
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