Ledig stilling ved Universitetet i Agder
PhD Research Fellow in ICT - Smart Sensing and Communications for UAVs
Deadline: 01.09.2019
About the position
A 100 % position is available at the University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering and Science as a PhD Research Fellow in Information and Communication Technology (specifically low-altitude UAV communications and tracking), affiliated to the Department of ICT, for a period of three years. The position is located, at the present, at Campus Grimstad. The starting date is as soon as possible or to be negotiated with the Faculty.
The PhD student will be supervised by researchers from the Intelligent Signal Processing & Wireless Networks(WISENET) Center, Faculty of Engineering and Science, UiA. Information about why the WISENET Center, the University of Agder, and Norway provide an excellent environment for PhD studies can be found here.
Responsibilities
The herein announced position will be part of the Intelligent Signal Processing & Wireless Networks (WISENET) Center. The expertise of the researchers in the WISENET Center spans multiple areas in machine learning, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, signal processing, optimization, and electronics. The center is in rapid expansion, having at present seven PhD students and three postdoctoral researchers working on cutting-edge research projects. WISENET Lab is committed to achieving international research excellence.
Research Topics
A large number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are expected to serve millions of people worldwide for construction, agriculture, surveillance, search-and-rescue, food delivery, and grocery shopping. Both the private and public sectors have been investing billions of dollars in the past few years, and it is expected that these investments will keep increasing exponentially in the future. But before the era of UAVs can commence, numerous technical challenges need to be addressed. The applicant’s research goals will focuses on wireless communications for UAVs as well as detection and tracking of possibly non-cooperative UAVs.
Specifically, the present PhD position focuses on wireless communications for UAVs and (possibly) localization and tracking of UAVs through mmWave sensors. The conducted research will touch upon all or some of the following areas: spectrum cartography, spectrum cognizant communications, data analytics for mmWave sensors, low-latency communications, as well as wireless prototyping and testbed design using software-defined radio and real UAVs. Theoretical research will be conducted together with hands-on experiments with real equipment. The main goal is two-fold: first, the conducted research must contribute to the development of UAV technology. Second, the PhD candidate must acquire the necessary training to obtain a research position in academia or in the emerging industry of UAVs. Spin-off initiatives will also be encouraged and supported by UiA.
Required qualifications
To be selected, the applicant must have:
- A solid academic background with a master’s degree in a related area (e.g. Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Communications Engineering, Control Engineering, Aeronautics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Mathematics, Computer Science) completed by the position starting date. It is also possible to apply if the applicant is in the last year of the Master studies and in this case, if the applicant is selected, she or he will start the PhD position once the Master degree is finished.
- Background and/or experience in some of the following areas of interest :
- Linear algebra, calculus, and optimization.
- (Statistical) signal processing and/or statistics.
- Machine learning and/or artificial intelligence.
- Wireless communications.
- Programming in MATLAB, Python, C/C++, and/or Java.
- Experience with USRPs, SDRs, mote-like IoT devices, RF measurements and Testbed setup.
- Circuit design using FPGAs (LabView, Verilog or VHDL).
- Written and spoken English proficiency.
A prerequisite for employment is that the candidate is to be admitted to UiA’s PhD programme at the Faculty of Engineering and Science with specialisation in ICT.
Further provisions relating to the positions as PhD Research Fellows can be found in the Regulations Concerning Terms and Conditions of Employment for the post of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Research Fellow, Research Assistant and Resident.
Desired qualifications
Background and/or experience in the following areas will be a plus:
- UAV control and integration.
- Localization and navigation.
- Implementation with software-defined radio.
- Cognitive radio, dynamic spectrum access, and spectrum sensing.
- Simulation of network protocols and implementation in real network scenarios.
- Signal processing for mmWave sensors.
- PCB design for mmWave sensors
Personal qualities
Curiosity for understanding, enthusiasm for discovery, and motivation for conducting relevant research. Creativity and proactive attitude. Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and team-working skills.
Personal qualities and suitability for the position will be emphasised.
We offer
- Professional development in a large, exciting and socially influential organisation
- A positive, inclusive and diverse working environment
- Modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare offers
- Membership of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.515, code 1017 PhD Research Fellow, NOK 479 600 gross salary per year. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions.
General information
Applicants will be evaluated based on their academic background, experience, and attitude. Preselected applicants will be invited for one or more skype interviews and may additionally be requested to complete written tests and/or programming assignments. UiA will also conduct a reference check on the selected candidate with her/his consent.
A good working environment is characterised by its diversity. We therefore encourage all qualified candidates to apply for the position, irrespective of gender, age, disability or cultural background. The University of Agder is an IW (Inclusive Workplace).
Women are strongly encouraged to apply for the position.
The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. Appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions.
Read more about the employment process.
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right.
Application
The application and any necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) are to be sent electronically. Use the link "Apply for this job".
The following documentation must be uploaded electronically:
- Justification (maximum 1 page) of the experience and background in the areas of interest listed in the section “Eligibility”. Example: “1. Experience in PCB design: I designed a PCB for [briefly describe purpose] in the bachelor’s course [course name]. 2. Experience in programming: I took two bachelor’s courses with names [course names] where we had to program in C, and one master’s course with name [name] where we learned Python. 3. Background in machine learning: I took a bachelor’s course with name [name] where we learned the basics of supervised and unsupervised learning, and a master’s course with name [name] which focuses on deep learning. And so on”.
- Up-to-date curriculum vitae. It would be a plus to provide a diagram or brief description of the main activities carried out by the applicant in all periods after high-school.
- Official transcripts of all post-secondary academic degrees, up to and including both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees. When attaching a non-Norwegian academic transcript that does not include a description of the grading system (e.g. maximum grade and minimum passing grade) used by the issuing institution, a (preferably official) description should also be attached. The description may simply contain a link to an official website where the grading system is explained.
- Applicants that are not originally from a country with English as the official language must submit their TOEFL, IELTS, or CEFR certificate (may alternatively be emailed after the closing date).
- Publication list or links to the applicant's scientific publications (if any).
- A description of the candidate’s research interests, motivation, and preferred topic/topics.
All documents must be in English. Otherwise, they must be accompanied by an official translation. Original documents must be presented for verification to UiA upon arrival. Additional measures may be adopted by UiA to verify the authenticity of the documentation.
Application deadline: 01.09.19
Contact
For questions about the position:
- Associate Professor Linga Reddy Cenkeramaddi, tel. +47 37 23 34 36, e-mail linga.cenkeramaddi@uia.no
- Associate Professor Daniel Romero, tel. +47 37 23 31 96, e-mail daniel.romero@uia.no
- Professor Baltasar Beferull Lozano, tel. +47 37 23 31 59, email baltasar.beferull@uia.no
- Head of Department Folke Haugland, tel. +47 37 23 32 20, e-mail folke.haugland@uia.no
For questions about the application process:
- HR Advisor Nina Rønningen, tel. tel. +47 38 14 20 16, e-mail nina.ronningen@uia.no