Applications are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Computer Science programme. The position is available from February 2026 or later.

Title:
The Center for Basic Research in Program Verification

Research area and project description:
Supported by a generous ERC Advanced Grant and a Villum Investigator Grant from Villum Fonden we have several PhD openings in the Center for Basic Research in Program Verification (CPV) at Department of Computer Science, Aarhus University.

The research topics at the Center for Basic Research in Program Verification (CPV) include: extensions of higher-order concurrent separation logics (such as our Iris logic, see iris-project.org), e.g., to reason about distributed systems; probabilistic program logics; logical relations for relational reasoning about safety, liveness, and security properties; formal modeling of low-level capability machines and secure compilation; program logics for relaxed memory models; guarded cubical type theory; and Rocq formalizations.

Please upload a project description (½-4 pages). This document should describe your ideas and research plans for this specific project. If you wish to, you can indicate an URL where further information can be found.

Qualifications and specific competences:
Candidates are expected to have a good background in logic and semantics. Working knowledge of the Rocq proof assistant is an advantage.

Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Department of Computer Science, Åbogade 34, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. 

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information for this project are invited to contact:
Professor, Lars Birkedal, birkedal@cs.au.dk

How to apply:

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see the Application guide. Please read the Application guide thoroughly before applying.

When ready to apply, go to https://phd.nat.au.dk/for-applicants/apply-here/ (Note, the online application system opens 1 June 2025)

1. Choose August 2025 Call with deadline 1 November 2025 at 23:59 CEST.
2. You will be directed to the call and must choose the programme “Computer Science”.
3. In the boxed named “Study”: In the dropdown menu, please choose: “The Center for Basic Research in Program Verification (CBRPrV)”

Please note:

• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background.