The Department of Electronic Systems at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design invites applications for PhD stipends or integrated stipends in the field of Foundation Models for Neural Speech Tracking within the general study programme Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The PhD Stipends are open from August 1, 2026, or soon hereafter, and the integrated PhD stipends are open for appointments from September 1, 2026.

In electronic engineering, Aalborg University is known worldwide for its high academic quality and societal impact. The Department of Electronic Systems employs more than 200 people, of which about 90 are PhD students, and about 40 % of all employees are internationals. In total, it has more than 600 students in its BSc and MSc programs, which are based on AAU's problem-based learning model. The department leverages its unique research infrastructure and lab facilities to conduct world-leading fundamental and applied research within communication, networks, control systems, AI, sound, cyber security, and robotics. The department plays an active role in transferring inventions and results into applications in close collaboration with industrial partners worldwide. You can read more about the department at www.es.aau.dk.

Your work tasks    
The PhD project is part of a bigger Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) New Exploratory Research and Discovery grant entitled: Information Theoretic Disentanglement of the Exceptional Biological Learning Machine, which is headed by Professor Jan Østergaard.  The goal is to develop novel information-theoretic methods for identifying and analyzing temporal and spatial patterns of synergy and redundancy in brain signals elicited by acoustic stimuli.

The PhD project falls under Research Track 2: Tracking neural and perceptual attributes.
The research investigates how the brain learns and tracks acoustic patterns over time. It focusses on accurately capturing neural encoding of perceptual statistical properties and uncovering the mechanisms driving auditory recognition. The methods will range from context tree models to large language models that generate embeddings capturing semantic and statistical relationships.

Your competencies   
Prospective applicants for this PhD proposal should have the following qualifications:

• M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering, mathematical engineering, acoustics, machine learning or similar;
• Solid mathematical and analytical skills, including signal processing, optimization, machine learning or information theory;
• Experience in programming, e.g., in C++, Python or Matlab. 

Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years.

Integrated PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who has not yet completed a Master’s degree and who wish to begin the PhD study in connection with the Master study. Thus a prerequisite for acceptance is that the candidate is enrolled in a relevant Master’s programme; such as Electronic Systems, Mathematical Engineering, Software, etc. 

The stipend consists of two parts, A and B. During part A you are enrolled simultaneous in the Master’s programme and in the PhD programme. The stipend consists of two SU-PhD Grants per month (SU=The Danish students’ Grants and Loans Scheme). One SU-PhD grant equals DKK 7.426 kr. (2026 level). SU-PhD Grants are paid for a maximum of two years. When the Master’s degree has been obtained, you will be employed for two years as a PhD fellow according to the present collective agreement. Part B has a maximum duration of two years.

It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

Who we are    
You will be hosted by the Section on AI & Sound. This section is led by Prof. Jan Østergaard. The section provides a world-class research environment, outstanding working and networking opportunities, and full employment benefits.

How to apply 
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position,
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• If you are applying for a PhD stipend: Diplomas (bachelor’s and master's degree diploma, including grades)
• If you are applying for an integrated PhD stipend: Academic transcript and bachelor’s degree certificate
• Project description: Applicants are required to submit, along with their application documents, a one-page statement, indicating their vision for research to be conducted in relation to the project topics outlined above.
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website. 

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?     
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information  
Further information about the integrated PhD Stipend (TECH)

Read more about our recruitment process here.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design

Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (only in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (only in Danish) 

Allocation of SU-PhD Grants are according to the Ministerial Order on the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme part 12, section II. This applies only to integrated PhD.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.