The University of Oulu in Finland, with approximately 15,000 students and 3,000 employees, is an international, multidisciplinary research university, with a rich pool of creative and intellectual talent. The strengths of the University include multidisciplinary research interests, modern research and study environments, and broad international cooperation (http://www.oulu.fi/university/).

Position description

A four-year doctoral student position is available in the confluence of robotics and virtual reality in the new PERCEPT project funded by the Academy of Finland in the research group of Professor Steven M. LaValle at the Center for Ubiquitous Computing, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to fundamental research efforts in robotics. Targeted applications of interest include telepresence, virtual reality, comfortable immersion and interaction in panoramas, interface design, human-robot interaction, comfortable and effective locomotion in virtual reality, and the promotion of well-being through wearable display technology.

The earliest possible starting date is October 1, 2019, but the position will remain open until filled. A six-month trial period will be effective at the beginning of the four-year contract. After acceptance, the doctoral student will be enrolled to the University of Oulu Graduate School's (UniOGS) doctoral program. The general requirements for admission to the UniOGS can be found at http://www.oulu.fi/uniogs/requirements_for_admission.

Required qualifications

The successful applicant must hold a MSc degree in electrical engineering, applied mathematics, automation, computer science, or a related field. Candidates who will receive their MSc degree by September 30, 2019 are eligible to apply. In addition to core background in robotics and automation, experience in the following areas will considered favorably: dynamical systems, control theory, filtering, motion planning, HCI, and perceptual psychology. Fluency in both written and spoken English is required, as well as excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Salary and benefits

The salary of the appointed doctoral student will be based on the demand level 2-4 in the salary chart for the teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). In practice, the starting salary of a new doctoral student is approximately 2480 € per month and it will progressively increase along with the progress of the student. In addition to the salary, the employed person will be insured by the university and provided occupational healthcare. Finland is known as a country with a high quality of life and good healthcare system.

Application procedure

The following documents must be attached to the application (to be submitted in English):

1) Cover letter describing prior background, research interests and career plans (maximum 2 pages).

2) Curriculum vitae formatted according to the template of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (http://www.tenk.fi/en/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae).

3) Scanned copies of degree certificates.

4) Contact information of two persons, who may be asked to give a statement on the candidate.

Applications must be submitted using the electronic application system by September 30, 2019, 23:59 (Finnish local time). Applications sent by email will not be considered.　

For further information on the position and the application procedure please contact via email:

Professor Timo Ojala,
Director, Center for Ubiquitous Computing,
University of Oulu,
Finland,
timo.ojala(at)oulu.fi

For further information on the PERCEPT project and research focus please contact via email:

Professor Steven M. LaValle,
Center for Ubiquitous Computing,
University of Oulu,
Finland,
steven.lavalle(at)oulu.fi