Funded PhD Position in Multi-Agent AI and Distributed Optimization for Resilient Cyber-Physical Systems. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain. Competitive funding for three years

We are seeking a motivated PhD candidate to join our Artificial Intelligence Group (GIA) and conduct research at the intersection of multi-agent systems, mathematical optimization and machine learning.
Under the supervision of Prof. Marin Lujak, the successful candidate will investigate how autonomous agents can adapt both their operational decisions and their coordination mechanisms as demands, resources and communication conditions change.

The research will draw on two complementary projects:
• CEFIR: intelligent coordination of waste-collection fleets, integrating operational data into dynamic task allocation and vehicle routing.
• CRISIS: coordination of resources during floods and wildfires, addressing uncertainty, disrupted communications and time-critical decisions.

The thesis will develop a focused scientific contribution within this programme,



combining methodological advances with evaluation against concrete operational challenges. Its precise scope will be defined with the selected candidate, taking their background and research interests into account.

Your research activities
• Formulate mathematical models for multi-agent coordination, resource allocation and routing, and develop distributed or decentralized solution methods.
• Investigate which decisions require revision after a disruption and how agents should adapt their information exchange and coordination structure.
• Explore how learning and optimization can work together to improve decisions while respecting operational constraints.
• Implement algorithms and design reproducible computational experiments using simulation and digital twins.
• Contribute to scientific publications and collaborate with academic and project partners.

Candidate profile
We welcome applications from candidates with:
• A Ma

📌 Funded PhD Position in Multi-Agent AI and Distributed Optimization for Resilient Cyber-Physical Systems (Móstoles)
🏢 Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
📍 Móstoles