Industrial AI Predoc

Description

Job Summary: Loyola University seeks a predoctoral researcher for an industrial doctoral project on AI-driven optimization and resilience of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Key Highlights: 1. Predoctoral Researcher in AI for Industrial Thesis with Pfizer 2. Application of Graph Neural Networks for Supply Chain Optimization 3. Doctoral Project in Collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Industry Loyola University is a Jesuit university and the first private university in Andalusia. It belongs to an international network of over 193 Jesuit universities across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Its mission is to educate people for others—individuals capable of improving the world we live in from diverse fields of knowledge and professional practice. Today, Loyola University ranks as the Andalusian university with: * The highest graduate (13th in Spain) and postgraduate (5th in Spain) employability rates. * The highest academic performance among undergraduate programs (17th in Spain) and second-highest among postgraduate programs (34th in Spain). * The highest degree of internationalization (+240 agreements with universities worldwide and membership in an international network of +190 Jesuit universities across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania). * The most international and youngest faculty, with the highest number of active six-year research accreditation awards (sexenios) in Spain. Loyola University—the first socially initiated private university in Andalusia, promoted by the Society of Jesus—is selecting a trainee researcher to carry out a doctoral research project addressing the optimization and resilience of the pharmaceutical supply chain in collaboration with Pfizer using state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence. Loyola University offers: * Predoctoral contract as Research Assistant. * Annual gross salary: €18,876. * Full-time commitment. Duration: Contract linked to the completion of a doctoral thesis (4 years). * Loyola University encourages applications from candidates who meet the following generic professional profile: A predoctoral researcher is required to develop an industrial thesis focused on applying Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and spatiotemporal models for supply chain optimization in collaboration with Pfizer. Academic background: * Bachelor’s and Official Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related STEM disciplines qualifying the candidate for enrollment in a doctoral program. * Languages: C1 level of English for literature review and writing international scientific publications. * Solid background in Deep Learning and predictive analytics. Skills and competencies: * Advanced proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch) and domain-specific graph libraries is essential. * Strong analytical capacity for mathematical modeling of complex systems. * Proactive attitude toward multidisciplinary collaboration between academia and industry. Job Responsibilities: * High-quality data preprocessing and structuring: Extraction, cleaning, and transformation of heterogeneous and dynamic supply chain data (SKUs, plant capacities, lead times, external events) into properly modeled temporal heterogeneous graphs. * Design and development of Deep Learning architectures: Implementation of STGNN models, combining advanced graph blocks (e.g., Heterogeneous Graph Transformers – HGT) with temporal modules (e.g., Transformers), for demand forecasting, production line variance analysis, and early anomaly detection. * Integration into Digital Twins: Embedding graph-based predictive models into virtual replicas of production chains for distributed scenario simulation and operational optimization. * Industrial validation and benchmarking: Evaluation of the proposed model’s performance and accuracy metrics against traditional Machine Learning predictive techniques, ensuring robustness with real plant data. * Scientific dissemination and knowledge transfer: Facilitating knowledge exchange between industry and academia through technical reports, patents, or development documentation. Applicants must submit: * Certificates of English proficiency (minimum B2) and Spanish proficiency (minimum C1 for foreign applicants). * A complete, up-to-date curriculum vitae. * A detailed and complete academic transcript for both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees (or equivalent), listing grades for all courses on a 0–10 scale, along with the issuing institutions and dates. * Two letters of recommendation. * A letter of support from the Collaborating Company. to the following email addresses: dcanales@uloyola.es rrhh@uloyola.es with the subject line: **AIPfizer 2026. Industrial AI Doctorate** Incomplete applications or those not conforming to the call requirements will be automatically discarded. Loyola University is an institution committed to excellence.