Doctoral Researcher in Advanced Radio-based SLAM Algorithms for Vehicular Systems (TAU-1/ISLANDS)

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational, and high-impact research and education. Our universities community has its competitive edges in technology, health, and society. Read more: http://www.tuni.fi/en 
 

 The Electrical Engineering unit at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences in the Tampere University invites applications for a MSCA Doctoral Candidate (DC) position in the field of radio positioning and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for future connected vehicular systems within the EU-funded MSCA doctoral networks ISLANDS ( https://www.islands-mscadoctoralnetwork.eu/ ). ISLANDS is a doctoral training network that focuses on the theoretical and algorithmic foundations of integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) for the automotive sector, with the objective of developing new physical-layer and network-level solutions, to explore the fundamental limits of such technology, and to provide experimental validation and testing for the developed techniques. ISLANDS will train the next generation of EU experts and leaders with specific interdisciplinary expertise, combining sensing and communications, with the aim of reinforcing European leadership in the automotive sector of the next decades. This available position is for the project TAU-1 within the overall ISLANDS network.

In order to be eligible, the applicant should not be in possession of a PhD degree at the moment of being recruited. Recruited Doctoral Researcher can be of any nationality and must comply with the following mobility condition: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Finland for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent by the researcher as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.
 

Job Description
 
 The Doctoral Researcher will enroll as a PhD student at TAU at latest by the date that their contract will start and will actively participate in all the research and training activities of ISLANDS network, including participation to regular networking events. There are also exciting opportunities for 3-month secondments at Nokia Bell Labs, Germany, and at USCD, CA, USA. The offered contract at TAU is for 36 months. The research work will focus on developing new radio-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms and concepts for future connected vehicular systems and on assessing and evaluating the achievable performance. Main focus is on 5G-Advanced and future 6G networks, and facilitating SLAM capabilities in them.

The researcher will also participate in all the PhD-related activities (attending lectures and writing publications) required for a PhD thesis at TAU and will also participate in writing project deliverables and disseminating the project results through various social media channels. Publications are very important during the project duration. The researcher will be provided with supervision in a cross-sectorial team with deep expertise on radio positioning, sensing, signal processing and cellular networks, with a blend of academic and industrial supervisors. Close collaborations with the other doctoral researchers/doctoral candidates of the ISLANDS network is also envisaged.
 

Requirements

• Based on the requirements of the ISLANDS doctoral training network to be eligible to apply for the Doctoral Researcher position, you must have completed a master’s degree in a relevant area of engineering by the time the employment starts (August 1st, 2024, or as soon as possible after that but no later than 31.12.2024.)
• Successful candidate must fulfill the mobility condition explained above. 
• The successful candidate needs to apply for and be granted a study right for a doctoral degree in the doctoral program of the discipline at Tampere University. Please visit the admissions webpage for more information on eligibility requirements. 
• The applicant should have strong skills in Matlab, Python or equivalent programming languages.
• Additional knowledge about wireless communications, digital signal processing, and machine learning is desirable. 
• Additional skills that are highly appreciated in this position are the willingness to work hard in a cross-sector and multi-cultural environment, ability to work both independently and in a team, and interest in a research career.
• The applicant should not be in possession of a PhD degree at the moment of being recruited.

Tampere University is a unique, multidisciplinary, and boldly forward-looking, evolving community. Our values are openness, diversity, responsibility, courage, critical thinking, erudition, and learner-centeredness. We hope that you can embrace these values and promote them in your work.
 
 

We offer
 
We offer a research-inspiring work environment with an excellent up-to-date infrastructure and a collaborative work community in the Tampere Hervanta campus, as well as high-quality support services for researchers. The University also offers a wide range of staff benefits, such as occupational health care, flexible working hours, excellent sports facilities and several restaurants and cafés on campuses. Please read more about  Working at Tampere Universities. 

We offer a fixed term contract for 36 months. The starting date of the employment is August 1st, 2024, or as soon as possible after that but no later than 31.12.2024.

The salary will be based on MSCA Doctoral Candidate regulations and according to the country indexation coefficient. The approximate gross salary for a fellow without a family is around 3 250€ and for a fellow with family (e.g., married/in recognized relationship/with children) is around 3 700€. In addition to this, the fellow will get an additional monthly bonus, a yearly holiday bonus and increments based on the labor agreement.

Tampere, located between two big lakes, is Finland’s second largest city area and the biggest inland city in the Nordic countries. The nature is close everywhere you turn your head in Tampere. This together with a strong tradition in industry make Tampere a unique environment for living and working. At present the region hosts a great deal of industry and service businesses, and the City of Tampere is a major hub for the Finnish ICT industry. For more information on Tampere, please check VisitTampere, Welcome to Tampere and International House Tampere.

Finland provides one of the most advanced and comprehensive social security in the world. It includes for example sickness benefits, various family benefits and a comprehensive healthcare system. For more information on Finland, please check InfoFinland and This is Finland.

How To Apply

Important: In this recruitment you must submit your application twice in two separate application portals: 

1. Registration and submission of the application material to the ISLANDS recruitment website: https://www.islands-mscadoctoralnetwork.eu/jobs/
2. Parallel application and submission of the application material at the Tampere University recruitment portal via the link in this advert. 

Please note that it is essential that you make this double submission of your application by executing both the above steps 1) and 2). 

The closing date for applications is April 30, 2024 at 23.59 EET / UTC +2

All application materials should be in English and attached in PDF format (please note that other kinds of file formats will not be accepted.)

Required documents in the application phase are: 

• A cover letter explaining the motivation for applying for the post.
• A curriculum vitae setting out the educational qualifications as well as any additional scientific achievements and publications. 
• Copy of Bachelor’s and Master’s certificates (if available at the time of application).
• Copy of Bachelor’s and Master’s transcripts. 
• Any additional material useful for the assessment of the candidate (e.g., recommendation letters, research project/statement in agreement with the requirements specified in previous text). 

After the recruitment process, the successful candidate needs to apply for and be granted a study right for a doctoral degree in the doctoral program of the discipline at Tampere University. Please visit the admissions webpage for more information on eligibility requirements. 

For further information, please contact 

Professor Mikko Valkama, mikko.valkama@tuni.fi or

Senior Research Fellow Dr. Ossi Kaltiokallio, ossi.kaltiokallio@tuni.fi

*) There are questions in the application form which are used only for anonymous statistical reporting which is required by European Commission and is based on data controller’s legitimate interest (GDPR 2016/679 article 6 f). Those questions have been indicated.