Ph.D. Positions in Machine Learning/AI

The Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering (IMSE) at Texas Tech University invites applications for a Ph.D. position in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Applied Statistics, with an expected start date of Fall 2026. The student will be jointly advised by Dr. Dongping Du and Dr. Fan Bu. We are seeking motivated students interested in research on data-driven decision-making and intelligent systems. Texas Tech University (TTU), founded in 1923, is a Carnegie R1 university with very high research activity. The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering includes six engineering departments and one computer science department and awards more than 80 Ph.D. degrees annually. The IMSE department offers strong laboratory facilities in manufacturing systems, bioprinting and biofabrication, nanofabrication, complex systems modeling, control and optimization, and ergonomics. Research topics include machine learning and deep learning, trustworthy and explainable AI, statistical learning, and high-dimensional data analysis. Applications include risk assessment, reliability engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, and other data-rich areas. Applicants should have a master’s degree (or an outstanding bachelor’s degree) in Industrial Engineering, Statistics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related field. A strong background in probability, statistics, linear algebra, and optimization is required. Programming skills in Python or R are expected. Research experience and knowledge of machine learning tools are a plus. The selected student will receive tuition support and a graduate assistantship. The student will have opportunities to collaborate with researchers across disciplines and access high-performance computing resources. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will remain open until filled. Early inquiries are strongly encouraged. Interested applicants should send a CV, transcripts, and a short statement of research interests to dongping.du@ttu.edu and fabu@ttu.edu.