UCLouvain is looking for:

a postdoctoral researcher in machine learning / natural language
processing

-   Full-time (100%) fixed-term contract of two years
-   for the Centre de traitement automatique du langage (Cental) within
    the Institut Langage & Communication (IL&C) in UCLouvain
    (Louvain-la-Neuve)
-   Start date : as soon as possible

This postdoctoral position offer is part of a research project led by
the Cental (https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/ilc/cental)
around legal data processing.

Regarding the concrete application, the project aims at automatizing
the analysis of documents related to clinic trials (meeting minutes,
legal documents, contracts, ...) to assess their compliance to RGPD.
The proposed solution should thus be flexible enough to, on one hand,
ensure that the model(s) can be adapted to the various document types
and, on the other hand, limit the need of specialists' expertise for
training data annotation. In consequence, the scientific core of this
project is directly related fo the question of few-shot learning, which
we intend to address through active learning and meta-learning.

The role of the hired postdoc will be to (1) develop the resources
needed for learning, (2) implement an architecture that incorporates
active learning and meta-learning, (3) evaluate the models and (4)
implement the components into a web service. The postdoc will also be
required to disseminate the results through scientific publications
and/or reports.


Work environment:

CENTAL is part of the Institut Langage & Communication
(https://uclouvain.be/fr/instituts-recherche/ilc), in UCLouvain. This
university is located in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
(https://uclouvain.be/fr/sites/louvain-la-neuve), a walkable city, that
offers a pleasant and dynamic living environment. The research project
will be supervised by Patrick Watrin.


Required skills:

-   A completed PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, NLP or a
    similar domain.
-   Excellent programming skills:
    -   Python
    -   TensorFlow/Keras or PyTorch
    -   Linux (server administration)
-   Knowledge of the main supervised learning algorithms and deep
    learning algorithms is required
-   A good knowledge of the main NLP tools and algorithms is a plus
-   Strong research track record (publications, conferences, etc.)
-   Autonomy, teamwork, ability to understand and analyze needs,
    adaptability
-   Excellent command of the French language (at least C1) and good
    command of English (at least B2)


Conditions:

-   Fixed-term contract of one year, renewable once
-   Salary based on experience, ranging from 4250¤ to 4850¤
    (monthly, gross)

The position requires residency in Belgium. Candidates from outside the
EU are responsible for obtaining the adequate visa and/or permits, with
support from the UCLouvain.


How to apply:

-   Deadline : February 15
-   The application file should be sent electronically to Patrick
    Watrin (patrick.watrin@uclouvain.be) and contain:
    -   A detailed resume showing the adequate qualifications and
        skills, as well and the scientific/academic experiences and
        publications;
    -   A cover letter in french, describing your interest for the
        role, how your profile complies with the project's needs, etc.;
    -   A recommendation letter in french or in english.

The shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a remote
video call (details will be communicated in a timely manner).