Postdoctoral Associate

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT); Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is inviting applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Alexandria, VA. The successful candidate will conduct research in federated learning and network optimization for future wireless networks. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field and a minimum of one year of eligibility remaining. The position offers collaboration opportunities with industry partners and aims to innovate in the Internet of Intelligent Things. Salary is set at $70,000 annually.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. must be awarded no more than four years prior to appointment.
• Demonstrated research expertise in related areas is required.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and programming skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in federated learning and network optimization.
• Collaborate with industry partners and government research organizations.

Skills

Research expertise in federated learning

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Programming skills

Written communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Python

C++

USRP prototypes

Nvidia computing platform

Job description

Job Description

Applications are invited for a full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate position within the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wireless@Virginia Tech, College of Engineering as well as the new Virginia Tech’s Institute for Advanced Computing (IAC) located at the Washington DC metro.

The position involves conducting research in federated learning and network optimization for 6G/FutureG wireless networks, especially on the Internet of Intelligent Things under the supervision of Dr. Lingjia Liu (https://lingjialiu.ece.vt.edu). Successful candidates will have the chance to work with top-notched researchers from both academia and industry on future wireless systems spanning from novel physical layer waveforms designs (e.g., MIMO, OTFS) to online real-time neural receiver, from reflecting intelligent surfaces (RIS)/integrated sensing and communications (ISaC) to network design using O-RAN, from statistical learning theory to software defined radio (e.g., USRP) prototypes.

The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has both Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. programs. Both programs continuously rank top in the U.S. The latest Global Universities ranking by U.S. News & World Report (USN&W) places ECE Department at #2 nationally in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering category.

The position is based at the Virginia Tech Academic Building One in the greater Washington, D.C. area and offers opportunities to collaborate with industry partners and government research organizations. For more information, please visit https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/10/eng-futuregaward.html

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• PhD must be awarded no more than four years prior to the effective date of appointment with a minimum of one year eligibility remaining.
• Demonstrated research expertise in federated learning, differential privacy, machine learning for internet of things, or related areas.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and programming skills.
• Written communication skills demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, or research manuscripts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong coding/programming skill (e.g., Python, C++, etc) is a plus.
• Experience with USRP prototypes is a plus.
• Experience with Nvidia computing platform is a plus.
• Experience collaborating in interdisciplinary research teams.

Additional Information

• Exempt: Not eligible for overtime.
• Appointment Type: Restricted.
• Salary Information: 70,000.
• Hours per week: 40.
• Review Date: 5/4/2026.
• The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Equal Opportunity

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Stuart Cline at [e-mail] during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.