Postdoctoral Fellow - Multimodal Models and Machine Learning

This position has an initial appointment of 1 year, with the possibility of renewal.

Location - This role is in-person at North Campus Edmonton.

We invite applications for 2 Postdoctoral Fellow positions in machine learning and artificial intelligence, with a focus on multimodal foundation models and related areas. The successful candidate will join a collaborative research group lead by Dr. Xingyu Li, contribute to ongoing projects, and develop an independent research agenda aligned with the group’s broader interests.

Research areas of interest may include, but are not limited to:

• multimodal foundation models

• vision-language models and multimodal large language models

• trustworthy AI, robust generalization, and model evaluation

• efficient learning, adaptation, and representation design

• multimodal reasoning and structured understanding

This position offers the opportunity to pursue high-impact research in a fast-moving area of AI, work closely with graduate students, and publish in leading venues. The initial appointment will be for one year, with the possibility of extension for a second year.

• Conduct original research in multimodal foundation models and machine learning.
• Develop an independent research agenda aligned with the group’s interests in trustworthy AI, efficient learning, and multimodal reasoning
• Publish high-impact work in top-tier conferences and journals.
• Assist in mentoring graduate students and fostering a collaborative research environment.
• Contribute to grant writing, project development, and other scholarly activities.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related discipline by the appointment start date.
• Strong research record in machine learning, AI, computer vision, NLP, multimodal learning, or related areas.
• Evidence of high-quality publications in leading conferences and/or journals.
• Strong coding and experimental skills in modern machine learning frameworks.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience in multimodal foundation models, trustworthy AI, efficient model design, or multimodal reasoning.
• Experience mentoring graduate or undergraduate students.
• Ability to lead independent research projects and collaborate across related areas.

Application Instructions

Click "Apply Now" to submit the following:

• Curriculum vitae
• Research plan
• Cover letter
• Selected publications
• Contact information for 2-3 references

This position has a comprehensive benefits package.

The terms and conditions of this appointment are governed by the Collective Agreement between the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta and the Postdoctoral Fellows Association of the University of Alberta.