Doctoral student in neuromorphic computing

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Computer Science

The EU MSCA Doctoral Network ELEVATE addresses neuromorphic event-based sensing and computation for low-power and low-latency applications. The here advertised doctoral projects focus on sensory perception for closed-loop robotic systems:

(1) Event vision for low-latency human / robot co-working scenarios

Convolutional neural networks for computer vision require substantial computing resources and introduce significant latencies even in modern GPU systems. This project investigates neuromorphic sensors and sensor fusion of multiple event-cameras in a real-time human-robot co-working space, where a robotic manipulator (a 7 DOF robotic arm) interacts with a human subject and multiple hand-held tools.

(2) Real-time stereo event vision for active mobile robotic perception

Real-time computer vision on-board of fast-moving mobile robots faces challenges, e.g. because of limited computing resources and perceived motion blur. This project aims to improve nearby terrain understanding for a quadruped (walking) robot, based on information from multiple embedded event cameras processed in low-latency spiking neural networks (SNN). 

Both projects will be based at KTH, Stockholm, and include mandatory research stays (secondments) at universities and companies within Europe.

The ideal candidate brings expertise in neuromorphic / event-based (vision) processing, robotic applications (hardware/software), excellent programming skills (including lower-level languages, such as “C”), and experience in neural networks / machine learning.

The doctoral positions will be partially funded by KTH resources (max 1 year) and partially be funded by the EU MSCA DN ELEVATE (max 3 years). Therefore, applications must comply with regulations from both, KTH and the EU MSCA-DN; in particular the EU Mobility Rule (see below) for applications to doctoral networks must be followed.

Supervision: Prof. Dr. Jörg Conradt, co-supervisor Prof. Dr. Arvind Kumar. Decisions are made on admission.

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.
• 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.
• Guidance on relocating and settling in at KTH and in Sweden

Admission requirements

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 second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

EU Mobility Rule: The successful candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary [Sweden] for more than 12 months in the three years immediately before the joining the MSCA-DN.

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
• analyze and work with complex issues.

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

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. In the case of studies that are to be completed with a licentiate degree, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

Union representatives

Contact information for union representatives.

Doctoral section (Students’ union)

Contact information for doctoral section.

To apply for the position

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, CEST (Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• 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.Copies of originals must be certified.
• 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.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

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.