Research Assistant (m/f/d)

The Department of Computer Engineering at the Institute of Computer Science at Clausthal University of Technology is looking for

a research assistant (m/f/d)

(if the personal requirements are met E 13 TV-L)

The position is initially limited to a period of 3 years and is to be filled with 100% of the regular weekly working hours. A willingness to obtain academic qualifications (doctorate) is required. The position is generally suitable for part-time work.

The Computer Engineering group at Clausthal University of Technology conducts research on the development and verification of innovative and resource-efficient circuits and hardware for a wide range of applications, e.g. in signal processing, processors such as RISC-V or in the field of artificial intelligence in the form of (spiking) neural networks.

The department attaches great importance to the publication of its hardware designs as open hardware.

Job description:

Become part of our team and shape the future of energy-efficient hardware! As part of your research work, you will develop and evaluate innovative techniques to increase hardware efficiency. This includes exploring approximate computing, where computational errors are deliberately accepted in order to achieve significant improvements in the size, cost and energy consumption of circuits. The precise quantification and verification of the resulting errors is carried out using sophisticated simulation methods and the use of formal methods such as BDDs and SAT. In addition, you will actively investigate further optimization potential, for example through the systematic design space exploration of different number representations or quantizations

You will develop innovative hardware solutions for FPGAs, which you will test on real hardware. In addition to VHDL/Verilog, the department also uses modern hardware description languages such as Chisel and Clash, which make it easier to reuse code and use rapid prototyping. This interdisciplinary approach opens up exciting opportunities for you to break new ground in hardware development and contribute your own ideas.

Tasks:

• Design, implementation and evaluation of (energy) efficient hardware for FPGAs (e.g. processors or neural networks)
• Development of a design flow in a modern hardware description language that enables simple design space exploration
• Communication of the scientific results achieved in conference and journal publications
• Support in the preparation of lectures, supervision of exercises and scientific work of students

Required prior knowledge:

• Very good university degree (M.Sc. or equivalent) in information technology, computer science, electrical engineering or a subject with a focus on technical computer science
• Knowledge of hardware description languages and hardware synthesis for FPGAs, e.g. VHDL/Verilog using Vivado. Knowledge of modern languages such as Chisel or Clash is an advantage.
• Knowledge of neural networks, ideally also spiking neural networks, is desirable
• Experience with frameworks for describing neural networks (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch, ONNX) is an advantage
• Experience with formal methods and modeling using BDDs or SAT/SMT is an advantage
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Enjoyment of interdisciplinary application problems and interdisciplinary exchange with scientists
• Very good written and spoken communication skills in English and German

We offer:

• A family-friendly and collegial working environment as well as interdisciplinary and varied areas of responsibility
• Regular training and further education
• 30 days' vacation and days off on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
• pay in accordance with the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states (TV-L), as well as a special annual payment at the end of the year in accordance with the TV-L and a separate supplementary pension as a company pension (VBL),
• company health management and university sports facilities
• family-friendly working conditions (e.g. flexible working hours, childcare facilities, part-time employment),
• all the advantages of employment in the public sector.

Equality with its facets of equal opportunities, diversity and family friendliness is an important concern for Clausthal University of Technology. People with disabilities are given priority if they are suitably qualified. Clausthal University of Technology strives to increase the proportion of women in the academic field and strongly encourages qualified women to apply. Applications from people of all nationalities are welcome.

Application procedure:

Please send your complete application documents (cover letter, CV, certificates) by 30.06.2025 , quoting TI25-1, by e-mail in one coherent PDF file to Prof. Dr. Oliver Keszöcze (oliver.keszoecze@tu-clausthal.de). Applications received after this date will not be considered.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Prof. Dr. Oliver Keszöcze at +49 5323 72-7153 or by e-mail.

Please note our information on data protection in the application process at: https://www.tu-clausthal.de/universitaet/karriere-ausbildung/stellenangebote/hinweise-zum-datenschutz-im-bewerbungsverfahren

Application costs cannot be reimbursed. Submitted application documents will be destroyed after completion of the selection process in compliance with legal requirements.

We look forward to receiving your application!