Position:
We are seeking a PhD candidate with a strong quantitative background to work on the SPILL-AI project modeling the interplay between human behavior and infectious disease dynamics. Evidence from recent epidemics, including COVID-19, shows that behavioral responses to perceived risk play a key role in shaping transmission patterns, beyond formal public health interventions. The PhD project will develop data-driven approaches to analyze and model these dynamics using large-scale mobility and epidemiological data in France. The candidate will work at the interface of epidemiology, artificial intelligence, and data science, combining modeling, statistical inference, and machine learning to better characterize and predict epidemic dynamics.

Candidate profile:
Applicants should hold a Master degree in applied mathematics, physics, statistics, data science, computer science, or a related quantitative field by the start date of the PhD.

Required skills:
Strong background in mathematical and statistical modeling
Programming skills
Experience with data analysis and numerical simulations
Foundations in artificial intelligence / machine learning and causal inference methods

Additional assets:
Experience with network science or graph-based methods
Experience in epidemic modeling

Research environment:
The position will be hosted at the Sorbonne Université Modeling Outbreaks Center (SUMOC) at Sorbonne Université | INSERM in Paris, within the Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health. Established in 2025, SUMOC is a center for research and innovation in infectious disease modeling to support epidemic preparedness and response. The work will be conducted under the supervision of: Dr. Vittoria Colizza, founding director of SUMOC, within the EPIcx lab of the Center; Prof. Giulia De Masi (Sorbonne Université Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne Cluster for Artificial Intelligence), expert in network science, complex systems, and graph-based machine learning; Prof. Jocelyn Raude (EHESP), expert in risk perception, social norms, and behavioral adaptation; Prof. Pierre-Yves Boëlle (Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Cluster for Artificial Intelligence), expert in statistical inference and epidemic modeling.

About the PhD funding
The SPILL-AI PhD proposal has been selected in the first stage of the 2026 SCAI competition for PhD contracts. For the second phase, the PhD supervisors will pre-select one candidate through this call. The selected candidate will then prepare a candidature dossier together with the supervisors to be submitted to the second stage of the SCAI competition (deadline April 24, 2026), as part of the final evaluation process for funding allocation. The final funding decision is made after auditions of the selected candidates by the SCAI program jury. More details on the SCAI procedure and timeline can be found here.

Application:
Please submit a CV, cover letter, and contact information for two references to epicx.lab @ gmail.com, specifying “Application to SPILL-AI PhD position” in the email subject.
Deadline to apply: April 12, 2026. We review applications on a rolling basis.
After the candidate is selected, the dossier of candidature will be prepared with the PhD supervisors for submission to the SCAI program.