Postdoc in combinatorial search & Optimization (SAT / CP / SMT / MIP /....)

About the role

We are seeking an outstanding researcher with a PhD to join Bart Bogaerts’ group on Knowledge Representation and Combinatorial Optimization at the Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven. The postdoctoral position focuses on developing end‑to‑end correctness guarantees and explainable reasoning for combinatorial solvers.

Key responsibilities

• Design and implement methodologies that provide 100 % certainty that a solver’s answer matches the original high‑level problem specification.
• Investigate proof‑logging techniques to generate machine‑verifiable certificates of optimality.
• Develop tools for human‑understandable explanations of solver outcomes, including infeasibility, optimality, and uniqueness.
• Collaborate with the research group to evaluate algorithmic improvements and ensure auditability of results.
• Publish findings in top‑tier conferences and journals.

Required profile

• PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Operations Research or a related field.
• Strong research track record in combinatorial optimization, SAT/CP/SMT/MIP, or formal methods.
• Interest in proof verification, formal specifications, and explainable AI.

Required skills

• Experience with SAT, Constraint Programming (CP), Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) or Mixed‑Integer Programming (MIP) solvers.
• Knowledge of proof‑logging or certificate generation techniques.
• Familiarity with declarative problem modelling languages.

What we offer

• Opportunity to work in a leading European research group.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art computing resources and collaborative environment.
• Support for publishing and attending international conferences.