The Department of Technology, Management and Economics (DTU Management) at DTU invites applications for a PhD student position on the topic of “machine learning for decision making under uncertainty”. This position is part of the ERC-funded DECIDE project lead by Professor David Pisinger.
You will be responsible for developing new methods for decision support in stochastic optimization, using machine learning and advanced metaheuristics. Furthermore, you should (together with the team) participate in development of solvers for stochastic optimization problems and test the methods on real-life data from the maritime industry.
As part of the PhD, you will be following advanced courses to extend your skills, implement and test algorithms, and learn to write scientific papers. As part of DTU Management, you will be part of a dynamic, interdisciplinary research setting at one of Europe’s leading technical universities. DTU is committed to innovation, societal impact, and diversity. Situated in Copenhagen, since last year ranked the world’s most livable city, the university provides outstanding quality of life in a safe, sustainable urban environment enriched by a lively cultural scene.
Research area and project description
In the project DECIDE we aim at developing a new generation of heuristic and exact methods for two-stage stochastic optimization problems. The goal is to be able to solve considerably larger problems than before, involving many scenarios for the future. We will use deep generative models as part of the solution process to generate scenarios and guide the search.
We will benchmark the developed methods against state-of-the-art methods for stochastic programming as well as testing the solvers on real-life problems. When benchmarking against state-of-the-art methods, we will study smaller, synthetic problems where we are able to find the optimal solution using existing methods. A main goal is that we should provide similar quality of solutions as existing methods, while providing more insight and flexibility.
The techniques will also be tested on a set of real-life energy investment and infrastructure problems.
The aim of the PhD project is to take part in the algorithm development team; to find relevant real-life benchmark tests, and to compare our developed methods against state-of-the-art.
You will join a strong academic team at DTU Management’s Management Science division. The project is headed by Professor David Pisinger who has published several papers in the field and supervised more than 30 PhD students.
Responsibilities and qualifications
As part of the DECIDE project you will be working on developing next generation of tools for decision making under uncertainty. You must:
You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.
Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education
.
It would be an advantage if you have taken some courses in stochastic optimization or advanced algorithms.
Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by two representatives from DTU Management.
We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.
Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.
The period of employment is 3 years. Starting date is 1 April 2026 (or according to mutual agreement). The position is a full-time position.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here
.
Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor, David Pisinger (DTU), tel.: +45 4525 4555, email: dapi@dtu.dk
.
You can read more about DTU Management at www.man.dtu.dk.
If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark
. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar
” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.
Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 12 March 2026 at 23:59 (Danish time)
. Applications must be submitted as one PDF file
containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file
. The file must include:
Applicants not providing all the above material will not be considered.
You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.
About us
DTU Management conducts excellent research at the intersection of management, technology and economics. We develop solutions in close cooperation with companies and public authorities. Our research aims at strengthening welfare, productivity and sustainability. A key element is the role of technology and its interaction with industry and individuals. The department offers a wide range of courses and programs at bachelor, master, and PhD levels across DTU's study programs. The department has 250+ employees with around half of staff coming from abroad.
Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.