Job Offers

Each semester, the Systems Control and Optimization Laboratory offers student assistant positions and master/bachelor theses for outstanding students with a strong background and interest in systems, control and optimization, in programming, or in embedded control systems. Some of the student assistant positions regard research and some regard teaching.

Open positions

Open PhD Position on Active Learning for Model Predictive Control (Part of DFG ALeSCo -  Apply before July 30, 2025)

This PhD position is one of overall six positions in the project cluster "ALeSCo - Active Learning for Systems and Control" funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) from 2025-2029, and its main responsibility is to carry out the research in the Freiburg-based ALeSCo Project P5 entitled "Active learning for stochastic economic model predictive control - Nonlinear optimization formulations and numerical methods" and to represent Freiburg at the joint ALeSCo activities (taking place in Hannover, Munich, Hamburg, Ilmenau, and Singapore). Participation at international conferences and research visits at other top research centers are supported and highly welcome.


Aim of the PhD project is to develop novel model predictive control (MPC) and nonlinear programming (NLP) formulations and algorithms for the online solution of constrained stochastic optimal control problems whose state cannot be measured directly but can only be obtained by use of an estimator. The MPC formulations shall thus be based on the observer state that does not only include the  mean but also e.g. the covariance of the state. The research will be at the interface of control engineering, numerical mathematics, and machine learning.

A slightly more detailed project description can be found on the Project P5 Page or in the project proposal (20 pages, to be sent on request).

Ideal candidates have a strong background in mathematical optimization and control theory as well as good programming skills. Also, one should be interested in interacting with other researchers from control engineering and computer science, in real-world applications, and in development of open-source software. The starting date should be between September 2025 and March 2026.

If you are interested, please apply before July 30, 2025, and compile

  • a letter of motivation (max. 1/2 page) 
  • short description of master thesis results, and other relevant experience such as programming projects (max 2 pages)
  • short CV (max. 2 pages) 
  • Master's degree certificate incl. grades (if available, otherwise most current transcript of grades)
  • Bachelor's degree certificate (incl. transcript of grades)
  • A-Level and Abitur (incl. grades)
  • names of two reference persons including phone numbers and email addresses (e.g. master thesis supervisors)

Please send your application material in the form of a single PDF to Christine Paasch <paasch@imtek.uni-freiburg.de> . For questions about research in the team you can also contact a PhD student such as Jakob Harzer <jakob.harzer@imtek.uni-freiburg.de> . 

 

Master theses (partially with external partners)

If this list is empty or nothing is of your interest, but you still want in writing your master/bachelor thesis with us, please contact one of the following persons

and we will see if we can find some other topic for you to work on.