PhD Research Fellow in Wireless Acoustic Underwater Communication and Sensor Networks

The Department of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has a vacancy for a three-year research fellow position within quality of service in underwater sensor networks for smart monitoring of the ocean.

About the position:

The PhD research fellow will be part of the PhD programme in Computer Science: Software Engineering, Sensor Networks and Engineering Computing (https://ict.hvl.no). The research programme in Computer Science currently includes 20 professors and associate professors, more than 30 PhD and post-doctoral fellows, and a large number of master’s students. The PhD project is associated with the SmartOcean centre for research-based innovation funded by the Norwegian Research Council and several industry partners (https://sfismartocean.no).

Workplace is Campus Bergen.

About the PhD project:

The overall vision of the SmartOcean centre is to create a flexible, robust, energy efficient, and cost-effective sensor network platform for marine measurement and data services.

A wireless acoustic underwater network shall be used for propagating live measurement data from sensors distributed over a volume in the ocean to a sink. Each of these sensors measures physical parameters such as e.g. temperature, salinity and other. The measured data are prone to measurement uncertainty and may also include anomalies like spikes, systematic mis-measurement effects and loss of data. This has been in focus in parallel PhD projects. The communication channel is based on acoustic modems and may have a low bandwidth. Signal to noise ratio may vary in such a channel due to external effects like thermal gradients, wind, waves and interactions with sea surface and bottom. The quality of service of such a system will be in focus in the PhD project. This will take into account (i) the time resolution and packet size for the data to be sent from each node, (ii) the acoustic wave propagation, including e.g. the low bandwidth available for transmission and the variable signal-to-noise ratio, and (iii) the medium access (MAC) protocol, including large propagation delays, packet collisions and packet loss. In this way, the total uncertainty of integration of data coming from different sensor nodes can be focused for several application areas of relevance for the SmartOcean centre. The use case scenarios will be developed jointly with the partners of the centre.

Research environment

The computer science and electrical engineering research environment at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has a strong focus on use-inspired and applied research, and on ICT as an enabling technology. The research environment has cooperation with many national and international research groups, and with national and regional industry partners. The research programme includes the research themes of software engineering, engineering computing, sensor networks and measurement technology, grid computing and physics data analysis, machine learning, and interactive and collaborative systems. The prospective PhD candidate will be part of a research team of experts in wireless sensor networks, as well as underwater technology. He/she will work in close cooperation with staff, current PhD candidates and master students in the research group on sensor network and measurement technology (Sensor network and measurement technology - Western Norway University of Applied Sciences) and the partners of the SmartOcean centre.

PhD research fellow receives an annual work expense funding which can be used for conference participation, research visits, and equipment. The place of employment is Campus Bergen. The candidate is expected to spend 3-6 months in another academic environment during the research period.

Qualifications:

The PhD research fellow must hold a master’s degree within communications technology, communication systems, software engineering/ computer science or in physics/acoustics with a solid background within computations.

Candidates who are in the final stage of completing a master’s degree (but who has not yet been awarded a master’s degree) may also qualify for the position. In this case, a draft of the master thesis and a transcript showing grades of currently completed course work must be submitted with the application. If the candidate is called for an interview, then the final version of the master thesis and a complete transcript of grades on the master’s degree must be provided at the time of the interview.

A solid background in one or more of the following fields is required:

Simulation of acoustic wave propagation
Communication systems and MAC layer simulation
Software development

Furthermore, experience with :

underwater acoustics
underwater communication
network and link layers in sensor networks

will be considered as an advantage when candidates are ranked.

In addition to the required educational and scientific background, the following criteria will be evaluated: competence and grades on completed course work (higher than C on average in the ECTS grading system), quality of the master’s thesis (excellent grade, the equivalent of grade B or better on the ECTS grading system), publications (if any), research and teaching experience, practical skills and experience within communication technology, acoustics or software development. A possible outline of a research plan for a potential PhD project will also be taken into account.

The candidate must be diligent and display the ability to work independently, supplemented with regular guidance, and is expected to carry out high-quality research and to publish the results in international workshops, conferences, and journals.

Candidates already holding a PhD within this field are not eligible for this position.

This position is part of a research collaboration involving partners from the Defence sector. Applicants must therefore fulfil requirements for national security clearance.

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences is subjected to the regulation for export control system. The regulation might be applied in the processing of the applications.

The PhD research fellow must enroll in the PhD programme in Computer Science: Software Engineering, Sensor Networks and Engineering Computing at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, and must meet the formal admission requirements for admission into the PhD programme. The employment period may be reduced if the successful applicant has held previous employment as a research fellow.

The PhD candidate will be assigned two academic supervisors at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and a co-supervisor at the University of Bergen. An application for enrolment should first be submitted after an appointment is made, and the supervisors will help with this procedure. The candidate must be enrolled as a PhD student within three months from the start of the employment according to Regulations relating to programmes of study and examniations at Western Norway University of Applied SciencesHVL § 2-4.

Applicants who cannot document proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish at level A2 upon employment, must complete Norwegian language training equivalent to at least 15 ECTS credits by the end of the term of appointment. For terms shorter than 4 years, the term can be extended accordingly.

Application procedure:

Applications will be evaluated by an expert panel of three members.

Applicants are asked to submit their application and CV online. Please use the link “Apply for this job” (“Søk stillingen”).

The following documentation should be uploaded as an attachment to the online application:

Master Thesis
A short description of research interests and motivation for working within the current project
Copies of selected academic publications (if any)
A CV with a complete list of academic publications
Diplomas and certificates.

Applicants should indicate which publications or parts of publications should be given special consideration in the evaluation. If the documents submitted are not in a Scandinavian language or in English, the applicants must submit certified translations of these. The transcripts must specify the topics, the course works, and the grades at the bachelor`s and master`s degree levels.

Applicants with a degree from a country other than Norway, need to attach a certified translation of the diploma and transcripts of grades to English or a Scandinavian language, in addition to the original documents, if the original is not in any of these languages. It is required that the applicant encloses a recognition document showing that their degree is equivalent to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD. You can read more about applying for recognition of foreign higher education here.

The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) offers an automatic recognition document for certain degrees from selected countries. If the applicant’s degree is covered by the automatic recognition, it will be sufficient to attach this document. Read more about automatic recognition here.

As the HK-dir application process may take some time it is recommended to apply to HK-dir as soon as possible. If you have not received a recognition document from HK- dir within the application deadline, please enclose documentation from HK-dir showing that they have received your application.

Applicants should note that the evaluation will be based on the documentation submitted electronically via Jobbnorge within the submission deadline. The applicants are responsible for ensuring that all the documentation is submitted before the closing date. It is of utmost importance that all publications to be considered in the evaluation are uploaded as an attachment with the application, since these are sent electronically to the expert panel. Applications cannot be sent by e-mail or to individuals at the college.

Salary:

Good occupational pension, insurance and loan schemes from The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
Exciting academic environment with the possibility of competence enhancement and development
Opportunities for training within the working hours

The Research Fellow position is compensated according to position code 1017 Research Fellow.

There is a compulsory 2 % deduction to the pension fund (see http://www.spk.no for more information). The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at any time.

General information:

The appointment will be made in accordance with the regulations for State employees Law in Norway ("Lov om statens ansatte)". Organizational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities associated with the position must be expected.

State employment shall reflect the multiplicity of the population at large to the highest possible degree. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences Bergen has therefore adopted a personnel policy objective to ensure that we achieve a balanced age and gender composition and the recruitment of persons of various ethnic backgrounds.

Information about the applicant may be made public even though the applicant has requested not to be named in the list of applicants. The applicant will be notified if his/her request is not respected.

Short-listed applicants will be called in for an interview.

Employed on condition that you are granted a work and residence permit (must be considered individually).

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences is subjected to the regulation for export control system. The regulation will be applied in the processing of the applications.

Contacts:

1) Professor Kjell Eivind Frøysa, Kjell.Eivind.Froysa@hvl.no

2) Associate Professor Anne-Lena Kampen, Anne-Lena.Kampen@hvl.no

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