Post-Doctoral Research Visit F/M Post-Doctoral Research Visit F/M Postdoctoral position on Theory of Learning in Games with Limited Information

Post-Doctoral Research Visit F/M Post-Doctoral Research Visit F/M Postdoctoral position on Theory of Learning in Games with Limited Information Download job offer in PDF format Contract type : Fixed-term contract Level of qualifications required : PhD or equivalent Fonction : Post-Doctoral Research Visit Level of experience : Up to 3 years About the research centre or Inria department Created in 2008, the Inria center at the University of Lille employs 360 people, including 305 scientists in 16 research teams. Recognized for its strong involvement in the socio-economic development of the Hauts-De-France region, the Inria center at the University of Lille maintains a close relationship with large companies and SMEs. By fostering synergies between researchers and industry, Inria contributes to the transfer of skills and expertise in the field of digital technologies, and provides access to the best of European and international research for the benefit of innovation and businesses, particularly in the region. For over 10 years, the Inria center at the University of Lille has been at the heart of Lille's university and scientific ecosystem, as well as at the heart of Frenchtech, with a technology showroom based on avenue de Bretagne in Lille, on the EuraTechnologies site of economic excellence dedicated to information and communication technologies (ICT). Context In his/her journey of postdoc, the candidate will be supported by ANR JCJC project REPUBLIC and PEPR Foundry, and supervised by Debabrota Basu. Debabrota is affiliated with the Scool project-team (previously SequeL) of Inria Centre at University of Lille. As a team, Scool is internationally recognised for developing theories and algorithms for sequential learning and decision making, i.e. in the fields of bandits and reinforcement learning. The candidate is expected to work on understanding impact of different types of structures on learning is sequential two-player games. The project is expected to simulate the existing and new collaborations with researchers and groups working on responsible AI, bandits, and reinforcement learning. The candidate will also be part of the HumAIn alliance that aims toward studying humane impact of deploying AI. From the application point of view, Scool is involved in multiple projects that incorporates medical data, agricultural data, and e-commerce. Depending on the future development, we will be interested to deploy such responsible AI systems and algorithms for securing such applications. Assignment To be specific, the postdoc will first investigate the fundamental question of impact of structures and constraints on imperfect information two-player games. The goal is to derive statistical characterisations and design efficient algorithms, when possible. The candidate can work in tandem with the PhDs working in the group on the related topic to develop constrained RL formulations for robustness, privacy, and unbiasedness sequential decision making and adaptive testing. For further details, please contact Debabrota by email. Main activities All research activities, that is bibliographical search, proposing original ideas related to the topic and developing them, presenting the work in the Scool seminar, workshops and conferences. Writing papers in order to get them accepted in the best conferences and journals of our field of research (e.g. ICML, NeurIPS, COLT, IJCAI, AAAI, JMLR). Since the work involves and impacts the responsible AI in general, the successful candidate should collaborate in writing scientific articles aiming towards the larger audience. Skills The candidate should preferably have the following skills: • A strong background in mathematics/statistics • A good knowledge of game theory, machine learning, and algorithms • Knowledge of programming languages such as Python. C/C++ • Some experience with implementation and experimentation (a plus) • A good command of English Please follow the instructions given in https://team.inria.fr/magnet/how-to-apply/ to set up your application file. In brief, the application of the candidate should include his/her CV, an application letter, (two or more) recommendation letters, and the school transcripts. It is reccommended that the candidate contacts Debabrota while preparing the application. The deadline of application is 15th November, 2026. Benefits package • Subsidized meals • Partial reimbursement of public transport costs • Leave: 7 weeks of annual leave + 10 extra days off due to RTT (statutory reduction in working hours) + possibility of exceptional leave (sick children, moving home, etc.) • Possibility of teleworking and flexible organization of working hours • Professional equipment available (videoconferencing, loan of computer equipment, etc.) • Social, cultural and sports events and activities • Access to vocational training • Social security coverage Apply for this position Share • Facebook • Linkedin • Twitter • Email General Information • Theme/Domain : Optimization, machine learning and statistical methods Statistics (Big data) (BAP E) • Town/city : Villeneuve d'Ascq • Inria Center : Centre Inria de l'Université de Lille • Starting date : 2026-12-01 • Duration of contract : 8 months • Deadline to apply : 2026-11-18 Warning : you must enter your e-mail address in order to save your application to Inria. Applications must be submitted online on the Inria website. Processing of applications sent from other channels is not guaranteed. Instruction to apply Defence Security : This position is likely to be situated in a restricted area (ZRR), as defined in Decree No. 2011-1425 relating to the protection of national scientific and technical potential (PPST).Authorisation to enter an area is granted by the director of the unit, following a favourable Ministerial decision, as defined in the decree of 3 July 2012 relating to the PPST. An unfavourable Ministerial decision in respect of a position situated in a ZRR would result in the cancellation of the appointment. Recruitment Policy : As part of its diversity policy, all Inria positions are accessible to people with disabilities. Contacts • Inria Team : SCOOL • Recruiter : Basu Debabrota / debabrota.basu@inria.fr The keys to success A successful candidate should: • collaborate inside the team, and with the external researchers and engineers, if needed • organise the work systematically • be keen to learn new theory and algorithms developed in the fast-changing field of RL, and learning in games • engage in meetings and discussions regularly About Inria Inria, the French national institute for research in digital science and technology, supports the French government in national research and innovation strategies in the digital field, acting as Digital Programs Agency. Inria leads over 300 research and innovation projects with its 3,500 scientists, engineers, and support staff, in partnership with universities and the digital ecosystem (businesses, entrepreneurs, and public stakeholders). Together, we explore strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum computing, cloud technologies, digital transformation in healthcare, digital twins, and digital technologies for defence. We develop practical solutions such as software, tech startups, partnerships with national companies, and cutting-edge training programmes. Our goal is to drive scientific, technological, and industrial excellence to ensure France’s digital sovereignty.