General Description

Dr. Nicolas Christianson is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join his research group at Johns Hopkins University beginning in Fall 2026. The position will be based in the Department of Computer Science, with opportunities to engage with the broader Johns Hopkins research ecosystem through the Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI) and the Ralph O'Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI).

The postdoctoral researcher will work on problems in data-driven and machine learning-augmented algorithm design, AI and machine learning for optimization, and reliable, robust decision-making under uncertainty in complex systems. The ideal candidate will be interested in developing rigorous algorithmic and methodological foundations and bringing these ideas to bear on impactful applications in sustainable computing infrastructure, data center workload and energy management, power and energy systems, and related domains. Applicants with strong mathematical, algorithmic, or machine learning backgrounds are encouraged to apply, even if their prior work has not focused on energy or computing systems. 

This is a full-time, on-site postdoctoral position with an initial appointment of 12 months and the possibility of extension based on performance and funding. Strong candidates need not meet every qualification listed below.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field
• Strong publication record in relevant peer-reviewed venues, such as ACM SIGMETRICS, ACM e-Energy, NeurIPS, ICML, COLT, SODA, or related conferences and journals
• Strong technical background in one or more of the following:
• Algorithms, especially online algorithms, approximation algorithms, and learning-augmented algorithms
• Optimization, especially stochastic optimization, machine learning for optimization, and decision-focused learning
• Uncertainty quantification, including conformal prediction
• Machine learning theory, including online learning and bandits
• Interest or experience in working on topics related to computer systems, sustainable computing, data centers, power systems, smart grids, or electricity markets
• Proficiency in Python and machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch)
• Experience with optimization tools such as Gurobi and CVXPY
• Experience building high-quality research code, running computational experiments, or contributing to open-source software.
• Ability to lead research projects independently, from problem formulation through analysis, implementation, and publication
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Interest in working in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a research statement, two representative publications, and at least two letters of reference. 

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification.

EEO is the Law:

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional vaccine requirements may apply, depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring department for more information. The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

About Johns Hopkins University

The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) was founded in 1876 as the nation's first research university, dedicated to bringing the benefits of discovery to the world. JHU is the largest private employer in Baltimore and Maryland, making a large economic impact in the city and state. We enroll more than 30,000 full- and part-time students across ten academic divisions, offering in-person and remote learning in over 400 programs. Not only are we located in Baltimore, but we also have a presence in Washington, D.C.

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