PhD position on multimodal information fusion in dynamic environments

Job description

The Pervasive Systems research group at the University of Twente is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to perform research and development on integrating heterogeneous information from multiple sources.

This research project focuses on the effective control and data integration of drone swarms: combining heterogeneous information from different sources in a meaningful way is a complicated task. Each information source may contribute differently to the overall picture, with variations in data types, sampling times, and resolutions. Despite these differences, a consistent and reliable result must be delivered to a human observer. When multiple drones explore an environment, they need to be controlled effectively as a group, and their sensed data must be combined regardless of each drone’s relative position in the swarm. Missing data must be inferred from past observations or by integrating other data sources.

This PhD project focuses, part of the large national STEADFAST project, and addresses two main challenges:

1. Information Fusion: Combining sensed data and state information from multiple drones in a consistent and resilient manner, even when faced with missing, mislabelled, or corrupted information.
2. Control Coordination: Managing the relative positions of drones within the swarm to ensure effective context awareness.

Your profile

• You are an enthusiastic and highly motivated researcher.
• You have, or will shortly, acquire a master degree in the field of Computer Science or Electrical Engineering.
• You have a creative mindset and excellent analytical and communication skills.
• You have a good team spirit and like to work in an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented environment.
• You have good communication skills and you have a strong interest in operating at the crossroads of different disciplines
• You are proficient in English.

Our offer

• As a PhD candidate at UT, you will be appointed to a full-time position for four years, with a qualifier in the first year, within a very stimulating and exciting scientific environment;
• The University offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues;
• Your salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU);
• You will receive a gross monthly salary ranging from € 2.872,- (first year) to € 3.670,- (fourth year);
• There are excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme;
• The flexibility to work (partially) from home;
• A minimum of 232 leave hours in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A full-time employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis.
• Free access to sports facilities on campus
• A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid)
• You will have a training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will determine a plan for a suitable education and supervision;
• We encourage a high degree of responsibility and independence while collaborating with close colleagues, researchers and other staff.

Information and application

Are you interested in this position? Please send your application via the 'Apply now' button below before January 6, 2025, and include:

• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages A4), emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications, motivations to apply for this position.
• A Curriculum Vitae, including a list of all courses attended and grades obtained, and, if applicable, a list of publications and references
• An IELTS-test, Internet TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT), or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE). Applicants with a non-Dutch qualification and who have not had secondary and tertiary education in English can only be admitted with an IELTS-test showing a total band score of at least 6.5, internet. TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT) showing a score of at least 90, or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE)

For more information regarding this position, you are welcome to contact (Alex Chiumento via the following email address: a.chiumento@utwente.nl.

The first round of interviews will be planned within 2 weeks after the closing of the vacancy.

About the organisation

The faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) uses mathematics, electronics and computer technology to contribute to the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). With ICT present in almost every device and product we use nowadays, we embrace our role as contributors to a broad range of societal activities and as pioneers of tomorrow's digital society. As part of a people-first tech university that aims to shape society, individuals and connections, our faculty works together intensively with industrial partners and researchers in the Netherlands and abroad, and conducts extensive research for external commissioning parties and funders. Our research has a high profile both in the Netherlands and internationally. It has been accommodated in three multidisciplinary UT research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centre and Digital Society Institute.