Doctoral student in Speech-centric Science and Speech Technology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Computer Science, Speech and Music Communication

(1) Develop new, better deep learning based speech synthesis (text-to-speech) that can handle reading aloud long and information rich texts. Explore new methods in all steps of the process of training Swedish speech synthesis, based on professionally read texts. You will work closely with both industry and the research front, and have the opportunity to test the results in real-world situations. Method development, new evaluation strategies, and methods to adapt the synthesis to different reading styles and listener requirements are also included.

 (2) Develop Swedish deep learning based automatic speech recognition (speech-to-text) that can handle long and complex recordings from Swedish media archives. Use new methods on real-world tasks. You will work in close proximity to large Swedish culture institutions and with researchers on the research frontier. Innovative methods for evaluation as well as human-in-the-loop methods are also included.

(3) New methods for audiovisual and multimodal analysis. The area combines deep learning with signal processing and and scienctific fields such as psychology, cognitive science and phonetics.

The tasks are executed both in large, well-known open source frameworks, and in locally developed environments. Collaboration with other research teams is common. The work does not stop at engineering, but extends into studies of how the technology is perceived and utilized by people.

Supervision: The doctoral student will be placed at KTH and supervised by Jens Edlund

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.Read more
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Work and study in Stockholm, close to nature and the water.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.
• Speech, Music and Hearing (TMH) at KTH is the worlds perhaps oldest still active research lab for speech technology, with a very strong international network.
• The close relation to the national research infrastructure "Språkbanken Tal" ensures that your results will be widely available.

Eligibility

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a degree at advanced level,
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge
• Requirements for English equivalent to English B/6, read more here.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyse and work with complex issues.

Experience in the following fields, among others, is considered a merit: speech synthesis, speech recognition, speech technology, machine learning, phonetics, signal processing. Insights into spoken language and language use on all levels are also very valuable.

A good command of spoken and written English is a requirement. Knowledge of Swedish is a plus, as a part of the work includes processing the Swedish language. 

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Union representatives

You will find contact information for union representatives on KTH's website.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

You will find contact information for doctoral section on the section's website.

Application

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/entral European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.