Research team: Tools for Proofs, MSR-INRIA Joint Centre

The Microsoft Research-INRIA Joint Centre is offering a 2-year
position for a post-doctoral researcher to work on a proof development
environment for TLA+ in the Tools for Proofs project-team (see
http://www.msr-inria.inria.fr ).

Research Context

TLA+ is a language for formal specifications and proofs designed by
Leslie Lamport.  It is based on first-order logic, set theory,
temporal logic, and a module system.  While the specification part of
TLA+ has existed for several years, the proof language is more recent,
and we want to develop tools for writing and checking proofs.

Our development environment for TLA+ proofs will have the following
structure: TLA+ source files will be translated to low-level proofs
that will be checked by Isabelle.  These will include calls to the
Zenon automatic theorem prover to fill in the "trivial" details
omitted from proofs at the TLA+ level.  Within the Isabelle framework
we will have an axiomatization of TLA+ (Isabelle/TLA+).  Isabelle will
provide high assurance by checking all the proofs provided by the
user or by Zenon.  As the user writes and modifies the TLA+ source
code, a proof manager will keep track of which parts of the proofs
need to be modified and re-checked by Isabelle.  The proof manager
will also support direct interaction from the user with Isabelle when
needed.

Description of the activity of the post-doc

The task devoted to the post-doc will be to develop the tools that
make up the TLA+ development environment: the translator to Isabelle,
the Zenon-Isabelle interface, and the proof manager.  He will also
complete the development of the TLA+ theory in the Isabelle framework
(Isabelle/TLA+), which is currently incomplete.

Skills and profile of the candidate

We are looking for a candidate with skills in some or all of the
following subjects: parsing and compilation, logic and set theory,
Isabelle, OCaml, Eclipse and Java.  Moreover, the applicant must have
a good command of the English language.

Location

The Microsoft Research-INRIA Joint Centre is located on the Campus of
INRIA Futurs, in South part of Paris, near the Le-Guichet RER
station. The Tools for Proofs project-team is composed of Damien
Doligez, Leslie Lamport and Stephan Merz.

Contact

Candidates should send a resume to Damien Doligez
<damien.doligez@inria.fr>.