Call for Expressions of Interest for Research Positions at Politecnico di Milano, Italy

We are looking for expressions of interest for full time positions (Research Assistant, Ph.D. Student and Research Associate) at Politecnico di Milano – Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, in the fields of compiler construction, parallel programming languages design and implementation, autotuning, optimisation and design space exploration, embedded systems design (including IoT and Cyber Physical Systems), operating systems for multi/many core architectures, EDA tools for Thermal-power-performance simulation and verification, design of multi-core architectures exploiting Networks on Chip (NoC).

Available research topics include:

• Parallel programming models for high performance and embedded many-core systems. We develop OpenCRun, an OpenCL runtime based on the LLVM compiler framework, supporting both NUMA x86_64 and embedded many-cores with explicitly managed memory, as well as compiler back-ends for their processing elements (e.g., OpenRISC). We are looking for computer scientists with a strong programming background (primarily C++) willing to develop skills in compiler construction and parallel programming language design and implementation.
• Compiler support for extra-functional properties. We aim at developing programmer hints and compiler transformations to support the enforcement of extra-functional characteristics (energy, performance, security) in applications. Examples of such transformations include the automatic management of thread-data affinity in NUMA architectures and the automated insertion of countermeasures against security threats related to information leakage from side channels.
• Autotuning. We are addressing problems related to Autotuning of several components related to computing systems (e.g. Applications, Compiler, Architecture) to automatically guarantee always the usage of the best configuration. The research is based on 3 enabling technologies:
  1. ARGO, a SW library designed to support extra-functional property monitoring and application adaptation;
  2. MOST/M3Explorer, to support automatic design space exploration at tool- and architecture-level;
  3. AutOCL, a design-time framework for tuning OpenCL streaming applications to guarantee performance portability toward different platforms.
• System-wide Runtime Resource Management. We are developing an open source Run-Time Resource Management framework, named The BarbequeRTRM (https://bosp.dei.polimi.it) targeting resource management of multi/many-core Linux systems. The framework supports x86, ARM and heterogeneous systems including GPGPUs. We are looking for profiles with the following skills: i) Software design and implementation on Linux environments; ii) Operating Systems concepts; iii) Parallel programming (e.g., pthreads, OpenCL, OpenMP, MPI)
• Design and simulation of multi-core architectures. The integration of multiple cores inside the same chip poses serious challenges to hardware architects, requiring a fresh view on the design of both the memory hierarchy and the on-chip interconnection layer. The research aims to deliver the next multi-core solutions focusing on the joint design of memory and interconnection subsystems. Cycle accurate simulation results starting from our HANDS toolchain on performance and power will identify the most promising solutions. We aim at delivering new hooks and knobs to the software stack allowing for efficient and optimized resource management at the OS layer as well as supporting novel compiler-based optimization.
• Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). CPS require the design of sensing nodes capable to integrate multiple sensors in a low power computing platform. We work on the design of actual hardware nodes, OS and smart drivers for such applications, run-time resource management to reduce the energy requirement and, finally, design methodologies encompassing also the simulation and validation of the overall architecture. In IoT, more high-level aspects including data fusion and data mining also need to be taken into account.

The following types of positions are considered:

1. Research Assistant. This position (“Assegno di ricerca”, research grant) is typically awarded to MS graduates. Tasks include development of software suites as well as collaboration to research activities. The position is typically for one year, after which enrollment in the Doctoral program is considered.
2. Ph.D. Student (Doctoral Program in Information Technology). This position can be awarded to MS graduates. Tasks include development of a major research line, and possibly secondary research activities. Highly specialized courses are offered. Admissions are considered once a year (deadline for application is May 29, 2015), and the duration is three years.
3. Research Associate. Post-doctoral position (“Assegno di ricerca”, research grant), with significant margins of scientific autonomy. Tasks include supervising Master's thesis works, establishing and developing new research directions, and responsibility of tasks with funded research projects, as well as lead development of software suites. The position is for typically for one or two years, renewable.

All the above-mentioned positions are awarded through a public competitive evaluation process.

Politecnico di Milano is the top technology university in Italy according to the QS ranking for 2014, both overall and for Computer Science (for which it ranks 9th in the EU and 48th worldwide). The Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria (DEIB) is one of the largest ICT departments in Europe, with over 245 permanent staff members, around 250 Ph.D. students, and over 180 Research Assistants and Associates.

The DEIB High Performance and Embedded Architectures and Compilers Laboratory is composed of 8 staff members (Associate and Assistant Professors) and 14 research associates, assistants and Ph.D. students. It is active in research on embedded systems, design methodologies, compiler construction, cryptography and computer security. Members of the team are active members of the HiPEAC network and are regularly featured among the awardees of the HiPEAC Paper Award, as well as participating to the organization of the PARMA-DITAM and CS2 workshops colocated with the HiPEAC Conference. Currently, they are active within three funded research projects (FP7 HARPA, FP7 CONTREX, and EIT P3S), with two more projects (H2020 FET-HPC ANTAREX and MANGO) starting in Q3 2015.

• Compiler Construction: Giovanni Agosta
• Autotuning & Design Space Exploration: Cristina Silvano, Gianluca Palermo
• Embedded & Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things: William Fornaciari, Carlo Brandolese
• Cryptography & Computer Security: Luca Breveglieri, Gerardo Pelosi