Open Positions

Spontaneous applications from PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers are welcome at any time (see below).

SPELLS² works on system software, programming languages, performance evaluation, real-time systems, and cybersecurity, in the Software Languages Lab at VUB. I am always happy to hear from motivated PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators. The group's work is organised around four research lines that reinforce each other (structured performance reasoning, reproducible evaluation infrastructure, safe systems migration, and real-time, robotics and embedded systems): the same people move between them, and they share infrastructure such as eBPF, Pythainer, and benchkit.

Candidates typically bring a strong systems background (C/C++ or Rust, operating systems, computer architecture) and a taste for careful, reproducible experimental work. Several current PhD students first worked with me on a master thesis; that route is explicitly encouraged.

VUB bachelor and master students: thesis topics are available every year in performance evaluation (benchkit), operating systems, C-to-Rust migration, real-time and robotics software, and eBPF. Get in touch early in the academic year to discuss a topic that matches your interests.

Send an email to antonio.paolillo@vub.be with a short motivation, a CV, and (for PhD and postdoc applications) a transcript or publication list and the names of two references. Personal fellowship applications (FWO, VLAIO Baekeland, MSCA) can be prepared together with the group; the group has a track record of supporting them.