Postdoc positions in Newcastle, Australia in the area of theory and algorithms for optimization of integrated supply chains

The University of Newcastle, Australia, invites expressions of interest fор Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in the area of theory and algorithms for optimization of integrated supply chains, starting early in 2010, or as soon as possible subject to applicant availability.

Fellowships are available for 1 or 2 years, with possible 1-year extensions. The salary will be in the range of AU$63,572-$79,915 per annum, depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. There is also provision for a relocation allowance, and for additional funds to support travel to conferences both overseas and within Australia during the period of the fellowship.

The successful applicant will hold a PhD in operations research, engineering, mathematics, computer science, or related discipline. Strong optimization and computer programming skills are essential. A knowledge of constraint programming and/or artificial intelligence techniques would be an asset.

Expressions of interest are preferred before November 2, 2009, however later interest will be considered until all positions are filled. To express your interest in a fellowship please send your CV, together with an academic transcript showing details of all courses you have taken, the grades you were awarded, an interpretation of those grades, and the names and contact details of at least two people who can provide confidential references, to Меган Степхенсон at the address shown below. If your transcript is not in English, please provide an English translation. Please feel free to include a link to your PhD thesis, and/or include other publications in your email. Include details of your computer programming skills and experience, your optimization training and background, and any experience you have with modelling and solving industrial problems. Please also indicate your possible start dates.

The project will be funded under an Australia Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant, and is collaborative with Prof. Martin Savelsbergh from the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology?s, from the OR Group of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), and from the Hunter Valley Coal Chain Logistics Team (HVCCLT). HVCCLT is a collaborative logistics planning group, centralizing all planning activities for the coal export supply chain, including rail from mine to port, stockyard/stockpile operations, and coal loading management. This is the world?s largest coal export operation, responsible for billions of dollars in export earnings for Australia. The research for this project is in the area of theory and algorithms for efficiently solving planning problems arising within this operation.

The export of coal is a critical economic activity in Australia. However the logistics of getting the coal from mine to port is highly complex, involving solution of numerous interrelated planning and scheduling problems. For example, trains must be scheduled on tightly capacitated rail lines, equipment for stacking and reclaiming coal from stockpiles must be scheduled, and the layout of the stockpiles themselves must be planned. This project will investigate the optimization of key planning activities in the export coal supply chain, and seek to develop effective algorithms for their solution. The postdoctoral fellows will join a research team of several faculty, research fellows and PhD students working on this project, under the supervision of Professor Natashia Boland, http://www.newcastle.edu.au/school-old/math-physical-science/our_staff/boland_natashia.html

The University of Newcastle is a major research university in Australia, increasingly recognised internationally as a rapidly emerging educational institution. The University of Newcastle is ranked in the top ten in Australia for research funding and outcomes, and is one of the world's top 100 universities for engineering / technology and computer sciences (Shanghai Jiao Tong University rankings by field 2007).

The main campus is located in the city of Newcastle: on the coast about two hours drive north from Sydney. The Сцхоол оф Матхематицал анд Пхѕсицал Сциенцес provides a stimulating and supportive environment for research and teaching, with ample opportunities for collaborative research partnerships both within the university and with industry. Although well known for its beautiful beaches and pleasant climate, Newcastle is home to a significant port, and Australia's largest coal-handling terminal. Newcastle is also at the gateway of one of Australia's largest wine-growing regions, the Hunter valley. In addition, Newcastle is home to top-class medical and medical research facilities, affiliated with the University, which is ranked 63 in the world for biomedical research. Thus opportunities for research in shipping, transportation, mineral resources, agriculture, health and medicine abound.

The School includes a strong group in Operations Research, with a number of faculty, research fellows, and current PhD students working in areas such as integer programming, supply chain logistics, transportation optimization, column generation, MINLP for electricity network design, and health systems optimization. The group has strong collaborations with colleagues in computer science working with evolutionary algorithms and multiobjectives. It also has close research links with first-class international institutions, and excellent support from industry and government research funding. For further information on the School and the University, go to

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/school/mathematical-physical-sciences/ or http://www.newcastle.edu.au/.

For further information about Newcastle, Australia, refer to sections below, or visit http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/visitnewcastle.asp

As it has only been established within the last year, websites for the Operations Research group are not yet available. However further information can be obtained by contacting Megan Stephenson below. Main contacts: Megan Stephenson School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences The University of Newcastle

Т +61 2 4921 5440
E Megan.Stephenson@newcastle.edu.au

Professor Natashia Boland School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan, NSW 2308
Phone 61 (0) 2 4921 6717
Fax 61 (0) 2 4921 6898
Mobile 61 (0) 421 651 723