Cognia AI Junior Fellows

Background

With the support of Cognia AI Ltd, we have created an opportunity for two junior researchers to join us at the London Institute as part of this new partnership. The two jobs, one in “AI-assisted conjecture discovery”, the other in “Universals of innovation”, have different areas of focus and candidates should specify in their cover letter which of the two they are applying for. The research focus of the positions are described below.

AI-assisted conjecture discovery

Discovery in the mathematical sciences comes from spotting patterns and making conjectures. For humans, making conjectures is hard. But AI can speed up the process of discovery for two reasons. One, in mathematics there are no coincidences, so automated pattern detection is immune from the false positives and false negatives that plague empirical discovery. Two, mathematical data is cheap, unlike the hard-won data required to train, for example, protein folding predictors. Building on our record as a world leader in AI-assisted mathematics, we will develop new techniques for conjecture discovery.

Universals of innovation

Variation‐and‐selection principles underlie a broad spectrum of adaptive processes—evolution, learning and innovation—but we still lack a coherent theory for why and how complexity and diversity increase over the course of adaptation. A compelling answer may lie in the interplay of three deep principles: modularity as the prevalence of interoperable components, recursive functionality as the driving force behind emergent hierarchies and the universal bias toward simplicity in input–output mappings. Understanding these universals could result in insights on how to accelerate technological innovation and guide the design of novel AI architectures.

Job

The positions last for three years and salaries begin at £51,000 depending on experience. Researchers work in our rooms in the Royal Institution—we do not work from home. Unlike universities, we are not tied to the seasonal structure of teaching, so we operate our programme on a rolling basis. Candidates can apply at any time and start at their earliest convenience.

Candidate

Candidates should have the potential to become outstanding theorists. They will have completed their PhD in theoretical physics or mathematics in the last few years, or be in the final year of it. We do not assess candidates on intellectual merit alone. We also consider the potential for leadership and willingness to act as London Institute ambassadors. In particular, we are looking for candidates who are sociable, curious about others, strong in their purpose and aligned with our values.

Activities

Conduct theoretical research, and publish it in leading journals. Work with our science writers to publicise our discoveries in the press and on our website. Work with our staff to help organise events, raise funds, recruit members and boost the Institute’s profile. Take an interest in the research and goals of other members and help to make the Institute more than the sum of its parts. Socialise with our scientists, staff and visitors at our weekly drinks and regular events.

London Institute

The London Institute for Mathematical Sciences is a new kind of research organisation that is dedicated to speeding up discovery. Our focus on peak performance and full-time research, and the level of support we offer our scientists, empower them to make the biggest breakthroughs. ❧ The Institute is based inside the Royal Institution in Mayfair, which lays claim to 15 Nobel prizes and the discovery of 10 chemical elements and the principles of electromagnetism. ❧ You can learn more about the London Institute at our About, Values and Opinions pages.

Applying

To apply, send a CV and cover letter to smc@lims.ac.uk with the subject heading “Cognia AI Junior Fellow”. Strong applicants will be invited for an interview.