Full-time

Do you want to kick off your research career? Join AIC to get your Ph.D.!

Imagine a job in which you are always learning something new, you sit next to the smartest people in your field, you have time and peace to read and you also get paid to solve research puzzles so you don't have to look for any side jobs. This is exactly what the Ph.D. study program in our center looks like. Come join us for a test run first to see whether the research work fits you. In return, we will help you out with your Ph.D. application.

Our center is located in the heart of Prague covers a wide range of AI research and application domains, currently working on over 30 projects supported by national, EU and US funding agencies as well as industry partners. You can choose from several disciplines (robotics, smart mobility, game theory, etc.) and whether you decide to start an academic career, found a startup, travel abroad or get a job in a large company, we will support you from the heart. Our graduates have really done everything mentioned above and we will be happy to push you towards your dream goal.

Ph.D. study as a full-time job

You may often hear that you cannot make a living by studying Ph.D. - nobody will pay you reasonably just for going to school and if you do not want to die of hunger, you must find a regular job anyway. This is definitely not the case of AIC! We want you to fully concentrate on your research, so we have created the conditions that turn going to school into work.

As a doctoral student at AIC, you will receive a generous scholarship plus you can work on research projects together with your supervisor. You will touch upon the topics you are exploring in your dissertation while improving in your field. Those who like to pass on knowledge can teach younger students. In total, you will earn about 45 000 CZK gross and 6 weeks of paid vacation. Note that the Czech Republic's cost of living is at 59% of the US price level by OECD statistics. To give you a better idea, the average price of beer in Prague is 1,3 EUR. As one of our Ph.D. students and proud father says: in AIC it is even possible to finish Ph.D. with three children at home!

Our PhD students from the Smart Mobility group are scoring well at numerous competitions!

Exploring abroad

Artificial intelligence research is done by excellent scientists around the world. Therefore, we work with many international centers on research projects or maintain friendly relationships with them. We have contacts at MIT, Carnegie-Melon, King's College and other prestigious universities. If you want to do an internship abroad, we can arrange it. We will also be happy to send you to scientific conferences and pay for transportation and accommodation and give you pocket money so that you can fully enjoy your journey. Our favorite past events took place in Hawaii, New York or China. You may also have your own presentation at some of these conferences (it would not be the first time).

Lab work in the morning, seminar in the afternoon

Studying Ph.D. in AIC is everything but monotonous! Your normal day may look like this: you read the latest academic papers in the field during your morning coffee, then go to a meeting with experts from Škoda Auto to discuss the development of a joint industrial project, then grab some lunch with a foreign guest who is visiting us (while lecturing at Oxford the day before), then you go to a regular internal seminar given by researchers from another team, continue with writing an article for a foreign conference, and at the end of the day stop by the school gym or go for a  beer with your colleague. And on tomorrow's to-do list, you will put purchasing an air ticket for a conference abroad. Sounds good?

This is our "lounge" where we meet and take our our afternoon coffee.

Am I even a Ph.D. person?

PhD program in AIC always combines artificial intelligence methods with a specific area (robotics, game theory, planning, mobility, cybersecurity, etc.). Choose what you feel most affectionate about. Some researchers focus on purely theoretical topics, others on practical applications. It really is up to you.

The best way to get to know us is to try working in a team first (with a regular contract and for how long you will need) before submitting your application. You will get a feeling of what a researcher looks like and see if the doctorate is the right thing. In the course of approximately 4 years of study, you can interrupt at any time and only work only on your projects. Or travel. We will support just about anything so that the doctorate will not bother you and you will still have plenty of inspiration.

Essentials you cannot do without

  • A master's degree that will allow you study artificial intelligence. We have colleagues from computer science, mathematics, physics, nuclear sciences – reach out to us and we will help you determine whether it would fit with AI.
  • English spoken and written (you should do well with B2 level and knowledge of technical terms).
  • Orientation in the field (as part of your entry interview we will also discuss your ideas for the dissertation).
  • The desire to learn and develop, to work in a team and not to be afraid of deadlines (we will try to work on your time management skills).

Apply below. We cannot wait to have a chat with you!