PhD Position in Computer Science (Data Mining and Machine Learning)

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (IMADA) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Campus Odense, invites applications for one PhD candidate position in Computer Science, fully funded by a major research project from the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF). The successful applicants would become part of the Data Science & Statistics section at the department.

The successful candidate will be based in Odense, under the primary supervision of Prof. Ricardo J. G. B. Campello, but they will be expected to also work closely with other PhD students, postdocs, and collaborators both from SDU as well as abroad. In particular, the project involves a formal collaboration with the Institute for Computational Genomics at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. Research visits to our research partner in Aachen may take place. 

The proposed starting date is in February 2026, but a slightly earlier or later start may be negotiable. The appointment will be made for a term of 3 (three) years at a competitive salary and will follow the PhD study program at the Faculty of Science.

Candidate Profile 

An ideal candidate has a background in/or experience with one or more of the following topics:

• Data Mining
• Machine Learning
• Bioinformatics

The successful candidate will contribute to advancing state-of-the-art in data mining and machine learning research with applications in computational biology by:

• Developing specialized algorithms supported on solid theoretical foundations and with a focus on challenging aspects of very high-dimensional datasets, such as datasets encountered in the computational biology and bioinformatics field.
• Developing specialized methods for automatic or semi-automatic, possibly visually aided evaluation and model selection of such algorithms. 
• Developing tailored solutions to integrate domain knowledge into domain-agnostic algorithms and evaluation methods. 
• Performing extensive experimental assessment and benchmarking of algorithms and evaluation methods in both synthetic and real datasets.
• Developing software tools compatible for integrated use with popular data analysis packages, to be made available for public distribution. 

Eligibility

Essential:

• Relevant Master’s degree (see notes below) in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, Computational Statistics, Bioinformatics, Computer Engineering, or related field that provides a sufficient background in computer science, mathematics, and statistics.
• Advanced programming skills.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills (fluency in English is required).

Desirable:

• Fluency in Python.
• Experience with algorithm design, machine learning and data analysis.
• Experience with the analysis of biological data is a plus.

NOTES (on eligibility): (i) MSc candidates about to complete will also be considered and should attach a statement from their supervisors regarding their impending completion; (ii) Relevance of the Master’s degree will also take into account the research component of the program undertaken; (iii) The required degree of background in computer science and mathematics/statistics will be assessed in conjunction with previous degrees (typically a Bachelor’s).

The deadline for applications is December 14th, 2025.

For further information, please contact Professor Ricardo Campello, e-mail: campello@imada.sdu.dk, tel.: +45 6550 8494.

Application, Salary, etc.

Appointment as a PhD Research Fellow is for three years. Employment stops automatically at the end of the period. The holder of the scholarship is not allowed to have other paid employment during the three-year period.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement on salaried PhD scholars between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Please check links for more information on salary and taxation.

The successful candidate will be enrolled at this university in accordance with faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at