Ph.D. & Postdoctoral Research Opportunities (2025–2026)

sites.google.com
Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, NJ (20 minutes from NYC)
Advisor: Dr. Ying Wang

The MACC Lab is actively recruiting Ph.D. students and Postdoctoral Researchers to join our group in  Spring 2026 or Fall 2026. We are looking for curious, self-motivated researchers who are genuinely passionate about understanding systems deeply, asking hard questions, and building solutions that matter.

About the MACC Lab
The MACC Lab is a growing, collaborative research group currently home to 6 Ph.D. students and multiple undergraduate researchers at different stages of training. Our lab culture emphasizes:

• Mentorship and growth: students learn fundamentals and how to conduct independent, high-impact research
• Collaboration: within the lab and with multiple academic, industry, and government research partners
• Real-world relevance: theory is tightly coupled with experimental systems and deployment contexts

Our students regularly work across disciplines and publish in top venues, while gaining experience with federal research programs, large-scale systems, and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Research Themes
The MACC Lab focuses on autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) assurance, making AI-enabled, networked systems trustworthy, secure, and privacy-preserving. Our research bridges theory and practice, emphasizing deep theoretical understanding and exploratory thinking, while grounding ideas through hands-on systems work with real hardware, data, and operational constraints.

Core Research Thrusts

1. Autonomous CPS Assurance & Trustworthy AI
   Formal methods, verification, graph models, and fuzzing for learning-enabled systems
2. UAV & Swarm C2 Security and Assurance
   Secure, resilient command-and-control in contested environments
3. Quantum Computing & Neural Networks for Assurance
   Quantum ML and hybrid quantum–classical methods for robustness, security, and verification
4. 5G/6G-Enabled Mission-Critical CPS
   Cross-layer assurance for low-latency, reliable C2 and edge intelligence
5. Privacy-Preserving Networked Autonomy
   Trust and privacy across sensing, communication, and decision layers

Desired Qualifications
We sincerely welcome applicants from EE, CS, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Math, Physics, Statistics, or closely related fields who:

• Are genuinely excited about research and motivated to ask deep questions
• Have a curious mindset and are eager to explore new ideas and new technical areas
• Are committed to growing into independent researchers, with strong foundational thinking
• Value both theoretical understanding and hands-on experimentation to connect ideas to real-world systems
• Enjoy collaborating with peers, engaging in technical discussions, and contributing to a supportive research culture

For Postdoctoral applicants, we additionally look for candidates who are excited to:

• Mentor and guide junior researchers in the lab
• Collaborate on proposal development and help shape new research directions
• Build long-term partnerships with academic, industry, and government collaborators

We offer fully funded Ph.D. positions (tuition plus a competitive stipend) for admitted students, as well as postdoctoral positions. Members of the MACC Lab work in a collaborative research environment with close interaction within the group, supported by dedicated lab facilities and shared research infrastructure. Our research is funded by federal agencies and industry partners, and our students and teams benefit from the broader academic resources at and outside of Stevens Institute of Technology. Located in Hoboken, New Jersey, the lab also offers immediate access to New York City’s academic, industrial, and technology ecosystem.

Applications
Please email Dr. Ying Wang at  with:

1. CV
2. Transcripts
3. A brief letter about your research interests

Lab website: sites.google.com.