{"id":4346015,"url":"https://alion.io/job/epfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference","title":"Postdoc: Keystone Project (Machine-Verified LLM Inference)","company":{"id":16910,"name":"Epfl","domain":"epfl.ch","url":"https://alion.io/company/epfl","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SuccessFactors","truth_index":null},"role":"Science & Research","role_family":"Science & Research","seniority":null,"employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Lausanne, Switzerland"],"countries":["CH"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AI Agents","optional":false},{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"KV Cache","optional":false},{"name":"LLM","optional":false},{"name":"OCaml","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"SGLang","optional":false},{"name":"Triton","optional":false},{"name":"vLLM","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-24T02:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-24","last_verified_at":"2026-11-15T21:50:01Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":22,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":22},"description":"Mission\nThe Keystone project seeks to advance knowledge in the following domains:\nFormal verification and interactive theorem proving (Rocq, Lean)\n\nSecure and high-performance computer systems, including ML infrastructure\n\nWe seek outstanding candidates working in formal methods and/or computer systems with interests in one or more of the following areas: machine-checked verification of systems software, GPU kernel semantics and verification, and AI-assisted proof engineering.\nThe position is part of an ARIA-funded collaboration between EPFL and Imperial College London whose goal is to build a formally-verified ML inference engine, demonstrating that AI can help make verified systems competitive with unverified systems in terms of development effort, features, and performance.\nMain duties and responsibilities\nConducting research related to the Keystone project, including contributing to the design and construction of a machine-verified LLM inference engine. The precise focus will be discussed with the successful candidate depending on their background, expertise and affinities. Possible directions include:\nFormalizing GPU kernel semantics (e.g., PTX/Triton) in a proof assistant and verifying high-performance inference kernels (numerical accuracy, memory safety, data race freedom, functional correctness)\n\nImplementing and verifying the inference coordination layer (batching, KV-cache management, scheduling) in Rocq/Lean, with extraction to executable code\n\nDeveloping agentic AI workflows for specification autoformalization, proof generation, and proof repair\n\nBuild a strong network in the fields of formal verification, systems, and ML infrastructure, including close collaboration with the Imperial College London team (regular visits to London are expected)\n\nContribute to open-source releases of specifications, proofs, and verified artefacts\n\nEngage with the ARIA programme, including red/blue team exercises and sprint reviews\n\nProfile\nPhD (or nearing completion of) in computer science or a closely related field\n\nBackground in formal verification, programming languages, systems, or ML\n\nResearch experience in one or more of: interactive theorem proving (Rocq, Lean, HOL, Isabelle, or similar), GPU programming or semantics, compilers, concurrency, or ML systems (e.g., vLLM, SGLang, or similar inference engines)\n\nStrong computational and analytical skills, including solid software engineering ability across multiple languages (e.g., Python, C++, OCaml, functional languages)\n\nExperience using or evaluating LLM-based tools for code or proof generation is a plus\n\nPublication record (relative to your career stage) in internationally leading journals and conferences\n\nIndependent, creative, and solution-oriented\n\nExcellent written and oral communication skills in English\n\nStrong motivation to explore new research domains at the intersection of AI and formal methods\n\nGood team spirit and enthusiasm for working in a distributed, multi-institution team\n\nWe offer\nA stimulating and international working environment\n\nExcellent working conditions\n\nOpportunity to perform state-of-the-art research in one of the most dynamic scientific institutions in Europe, within a high-profile ARIA-funded project\n\nOpportunity to interact with internationally renowned experts at EPFL and Imperial College London, and with a strong team of postdoctoral researchers and PhD students\n\nGenerous access to frontier AI models and high-performance compute for proof-assistant workloads\n\nFunded travel for collaboration between Lausanne and London, and for conferences\n\nInformations\nOnly applications submitted through the online platform are considered. You are asked to supply:\nA brief cover letter (pdf, up to 2 pages).\n\nAnd in one PDF:\nA CV with a publication list.\n\nA research statement (pdf, up to 3 pages).\n\nContact details for 3 referees.\n\nFor any further information, please contact: Nate Foster ().\nMore information can be found on https://laser.epfl.ch/.\nContract Start Date : 01.12.2026, or to be determined\nActivity Rate : 100.00\nContract Type: CDD\nDuration: 1 year, renewable (project duration permitting)\nReference: 2476","description_format":"text","description_chars":4170,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"All levels","optional":false}]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Higher Education"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-15T21:50:01Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":70,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.783,"p_room":0.9,"age_days":22,"expected_fill_days":33,"reasons":["conf:1","win:mid"],"computed_at":"2026-11-15T23:33:27Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/epfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/epfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-15T23:33:27Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":20472,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-16T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":16910},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=16910"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fepfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"free","price":{"credits":0,"usd":0},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fepfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fepfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/epfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fepfl-postdoc-keystone-project-machine-verified-llm-inference"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4346015}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"epfl.ch","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4346015},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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