PhD Position: Computing and Communicating in Learning Systems — Fully
Funded, at EURECOM on the French Riviera
Location: EURECOM, Sophia Antipolis, France
Language of Work: English
Start Date: Summer or Fall 2025
About the Position
EURECOM (a "Grande Ecole" (french ivy league university)) invites
applications for a fully funded PhD position in the emerging foundations
of computing and communicating in learning systems. This
interdisciplinary research sits at the intersection of wireless
communications, distributed computing, and machine learning—driven by
the technological and scientific demands of next-generation networks and
large-scale AI infrastructures.
Located in the heart of the French Riviera’s tech hub, this position
offers an exceptional opportunity to tackle fundamental challenges while
collaborating with leading academic and industry partners across Europe.
Research Focus: A New Foundation for Distributed Intelligence
The research centers on rethinking how distributed computing and machine
learning are performed over multi-user wireless systems, with emphasis
on MU-MIMO, edge computing, and PHY-aware protocol design. The work
moves beyond traditional abstractions and embraces the joint design of
communication and computation in wireless and decentralized environments.
Key directions include:
• PHY-Aware Distributed Machine Learning:
Leveraging the physical layer (e.g., spatial diversity, interference
alignment) to design learning protocols that reduce communication volume
and latency while boosting reliability and scalability.
• Communication-Computation Co-Design:
Designing protocols where large-scale learning, sparse computing, and
semantic data processing are adapted to the constraints and
opportunities of the wireless medium.
• Sparse and Semantic-Aware Computing:
Enabling efficient distributed training of large models (e.g., LLMs)
under realistic constraints such as device heterogeneity, stragglers,
and correlated data.
What We Offer
• Full tuition waiver and highly competitive salary
• Social benefits, including healthcare and retirement contributions
• Access to cutting-edge infrastructure in both wireless
communications and AI research
• Funded participation in top-tier international conferences
• Integration into vibrant European research projects and networks
• Mentoring and collaboration opportunities with a world-class
research team
• Life in Sophia Antipolis, minutes from the Mediterranean Sea
Candidate Profile
We are looking for highly motivated students with:
• A strong mathematical background in probability, linear algebra,
optimization, and information theory
• Interest in distributed systems, wireless networks, and machine
learning
• Solid programming skills and the ability to think across disciplines
• Curiosity and drive to tackle foundational challenges in computing,
communication, and learning
How to Apply
Send your CV, transcripts, and (optionally) letters of recommendation to:
Prof. Petros Elia
elia@eurecom.frwww.eurecom.fr/~eliaInstitution: EURECOM –
www.eurecom.fr/enAddress: EURECOM Campus SophiaTech, 450 Route des Chappes, 06410 Biot,
France