Postdoctoral Fellow in Computer Engineering

Harvard University

Position Details

Title: Postdoctoral Fellow – On-Premise Computing for Autonomous Vehicles
Institution: Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Department/Area: Electrical Engineering / Computer Engineering / Computer Science
Location: Cambridge, MA
Appointment: 1-year postdoc with optional second year (based on performance and funding)
Start Date: Expected January 1, 2022 (likely a typo; confirm actual 2026 start)
Salary Range: $67,600 – $91,826 annually

Project Overview

The project focuses on high-performance deep neural network (DNN) systems for autonomous vehicles (AVs), specifically for SWaP-constrained (size, weight, and power) platforms, using hybrid electro-photonic accelerators. The goal is to:

  • Develop and prototype an end-to-end electro-photonic computing system (CPUs + accelerators)

  • Integrate the system with AV sensors (RADAR, LIDAR, cameras, ADAS)

  • Demonstrate real-time perception, mapping, and planning

  • Ultimately deploy the system on a fully autonomous buggy

Collaborators: Harvard University (Prof. Vijay Janapa Reddi), Boston University (Prof. Ajay Joshi), Lightmatter (Dr. Darius Bunandar)

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with graduate students and engineers across Harvard, BU, and Lightmatter

  • Conduct research and publish in top-tier conferences

  • Present research at conferences, universities, and companies

  • Develop new research directions and contribute to grant proposals

Qualifications

Required:

  • Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science

  • Expertise in at least one of the following:

    • Computer Architecture/Systems: Design, modeling, simulation of heterogeneous or photonic system architectures

    • Machine Learning Algorithms/Systems: ML design and application to computing systems

    • Autonomous Vehicles/Systems: AI integration and evaluation for AVs, familiarity with AV simulators and stack

Preferred / Additional:

  • Expertise in two or more areas above

  • Hands-on experience with design and prototyping of complete computing systems

Application Materials

  • Curriculum Vitae with publications

  • Cover Letter summarizing fit for project and career goals

  • Undergraduate and graduate transcripts

  • References: Minimum 2, Maximum 5

Contact: Sarah Gayer – sgayer@g.harvard.edu

This is a highly interdisciplinary postdoc combining computer architecture, machine learning, and autonomous vehicle systems, ideal for candidates with strong research experience in any combination of these areas and an interest in cutting-edge photonic computing.

Apply