Research Associate in Formal Modelling and Verification

University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned university in the UK is seeking a postdoctoral research associate specializing in formal verification and AI integration. This role involves conducting high-quality research and developing software for theorem proving. The ideal candidate will possess postdoctoral experience and strong software development skills, with familiarity in Isabelle/HOL being a plus. The position offers a competitive salary and a variety of employee benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Generous Pension Scheme

Annual leave entitlement

Learning and development courses

Qualifications

• Postdoctoral experience or equivalent research experience in related areas.
• Strong software development skills for theorem proving systems.
• Familiarity with Isabelle/HOL proof assistant is a big plus.

Responsibilities

• Conduct high-quality research in formal verification and AI integration.
• Develop software for theorem proving and AI integration.
• Engage with the project team and collaborators.

Skills

Postdoctoral experience in formal verification

Strong software development skills

Familiarity with proof assistants

Knowledge of Isabelle/HOL proof assistant

Familiarity with AI models

Education

Ph.D. in a relevant field

Tools

Isabelle/HOL

Job description

Overview

University of Sheffield

Are you interested in working for a world top 100 university, performing cutting edge research in formal verification? We are inviting applications for a postdoctoral research associate on the project “Co-Pilots for Isabelle: Learning Logical Structure for a Better Proving Experience”. The post is based in the verification group of the School of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield, under the supervision of Dr Andrei Popescu and Prof Nikos Aletras. This project is a collaboration between the University of Sheffield, University of Copenhagen and King’s College London.

The project aims to conduct research into next-generation formal reasoning mechanisms by combining AI with more traditional structural methods. Isabelle is one of the most popular proof assistants and has hosted landmark verification results in mathematics and computer science. The system will be extended with intelligent copilots that leverage the structured information acquired through human interaction, enabling Isabelle to become more intelligent. Familiarity with the Isabelle/HOL proof assistant and AI models is a big plus.

We’re one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK. The University’s Total Reward Package includes a competitive salary, a generous Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlement, as well as access to a range of learning and development courses to support your personal and professional development.

To find out what makes the University of Sheffield a remarkable place to work, watch this short film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LblLk18zmo, and follow @sheffielduni and @UniOfSheffJobs on X (formerly Twitter) for more information. We are committed to exploring flexible working opportunities which benefit the individual and University. We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct high-quality research in formal verification and AI integration for theorem proving.
• Develop software for theorem proving and AI integration, contributing to the Isabelle-based workflow.
• Engage with the project team and collaborators to advance the goals of the Co-Pilots for Isabelle project.

Qualifications

• Postdoctoral experience or equivalent research experience in formal verification, automated reasoning, or related areas.
• Strong software development skills for theorem proving systems; familiarity with proof assistants is a plus.
• Familiarity with the Isabelle/HOL proof assistant and AI models is a big plus.

About the University and Diversity

We are committed to exploring flexible working opportunities which benefit the individual and University.

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.