Research Fellow in Formal Verification

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to September 2026

Background

The School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham is inviting applications for a Research Fellow position focused on Machine Learning for Automated Formal Verification.

Machine learning has transformed programming, with code generation rapidly becoming standard practice. However, achieving formal assurance of software correctness remains a complex challenge. Seminal work in programming language semantics provides powerful frameworks for constructing correctness proofs, yet the standard symbolic methods face significant limitations in both expressivity and scalability.

This project proposes novel techniques for constructing formal proofs of the correctness of software and hardware systems using machine learning. Recent advances in neural certificates—such as neural model checking and neural termination analysis—have shown promising results in this direction. The project aims to develop a comprehensive approach to software verification grounded in neural certificate technologies.

Main Duties

• Contribute to the research goals of the project through collaborative research, with guidance from mentors and a strong network of collaborators
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings at conferences and seminars and contribute to academic publications
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture

Person Specification

• First degree in area of specialism and normally, a higher degree relevant to formal verification, automated reasoning, machine learning, or equivalent qualifications
• Proven ability to publish in top-tier conferences and journals in AI, computer-aided verification, automated reasoning, or quantum computing
• Experience presenting research findings at seminars and conferences and ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Proficiency in programming, with knowledge of (or willingness to learn) machine learning software, automated reasoning tools, or quantum simulation platforms
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively 
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr. Mirco Giacobbe, email: m.giacobbe@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working

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