[iva] 4 Phd students in Social Robotics at KTH, Stockholm

[Jonas Beskow]

The School of Computer Science and Communication, Department of Speech,
Music and Hearing at KTH - Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is
looking for up to four PhD students in the area of Social Robotics.

*Job description*

The field of social robotics was recently presented as a targeted field of
innovation in a VINNOVA Innovation agenda (
http://www.speech.kth.se/socialrobotics/). The PhD positions are supported
by a number of externally funded research projects that start in 2016.
Within the greater scope of social robotics, TMH is hiring up to 4
PhD students in four connected but distinct areas.*

**Data-driven methods for dialogue systems*.
The area concerns the exploration of data-driven methods for developing
dialogue systems for social robots. We explore how data from human-human
interaction can be used to model human-robot interaction and how robots can
learn and adapt through their interaction with humans.

**Collaborative robots in future factories*.
The goal is to develop a third-hand helper robot that collaborates with
humans in performing object manipulation tasks (pick and place, put
together, insert). This
includes studying how verbal and non-verbal information is best used for
efficient and user friendly interaction and collaborative work in future
factories. This research takes place with participants from CVAP,the
department for computer vision and robotics.
<https://www.kth.se/en/csc/forskning/cvap>

**Human behaviours in face-to-face interaction*.
We capture and analyse how humans behave when they engage in face-to-face
conversation. The practical work involves using existing methods as well as
designing and testing novel methods for the capture and analysis of speech
together with a number of other behaviours, including breathing and gaze.
The resulting objective
observations are used both to validate existing theories and to connect
theory to implementation in social robotics.


**Data-driven modelling of interaction skills.*The area targets fundamental
interaction behaviours to significantly enhance the social interaction
skills of robots. The work involves data collection using state-of-the art
motion and gaze tracking systems on a large scale, as well as data-driven
modelling and different experimentation and evaluation techniques. The goal
is to devise control models for fluent, adaptive and context-sensitive
non-verbal behaviours in robots interacting with humans.

*Qualifications*

To be admitted to the announced positions in the PhD education in Speech
Communication and Technology, you must have a master’s degree (or an
equivalent 4-year university degree). The area is multidisciplinary and
candidates from a variety of backgrounds outside of pure speech technology
will be considered, including sensor technology and hardware; systems and
programming; statistics and  modelling; linguistics, cognitive and
behavioural science.The applicant should have an excellent command of
spoken and written English. Applicants must be strongly motivated for
doctoral studies, possess the ability to work independently and perform
critical analysis and also possess good levels of cooperative and
communicative abilities.

Furthermore, experience  with any of the following is seen as an additional
merit: spoken dialogue systems, signal processing, speech technology,
computer vision, machine learning, robotics, teaching, user studies and
experimental design.

*Employment*

This is a four-year time-limited position that can be extended up to a year
with the inclusion of a maximum of 20% departmental duties, usually
teaching. In order to be employed, you must apply and be accepted as a
doctoral student at KTH. The starting date is open for discussion, though
ideally we would like the successful candidate to start as soon as possible.

*Trade union representatives*

You will find contact information to trade union representatives at KTH:s
web page
<http://intra.kth.se/en/administration/rekrytering/annonsering/fackrepresentanter-1.500898>
.

*Application*

Application shall include the following documents:

   1. Curriculum vitae.
   2. Transcripts from University/ University College.
   3. Document that describes and confirms the applicant’s practical
   experience of work in related areas.
   4. Brief description of which of the areas that fits best and why.
   5. Brief description of why the applicant wishes to become a doctoral
   student.

Please observe that all material needs to be in English, apart from the
official document.

Log in to KTH's recruitment system in order to apply to this position. You
are the main responsible to ensure that your application is complete
according to the ad. Your complete application must be received at KTH no
later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European
Time/Central European Summer Time).


*For enquiries about the project please contact:*Professor Joakim
Gustafson, Dept manager, jocke at speech.kth.se, +46 8790 8965
Professor Jonas Beskow, beskow at speech.kth.se, +46 8790 8965
Assistant Professor Jens Edlund, edlund at speech.kth.se, +46 8790 7874
Assistant Professor Gabriel Skantze, gabriel at speech.kth.se, +46 8790 7854

*For enquiries about employment conditions:*
Maria Widlund, HR Manager, mwidlund at kth.se, +46 8790 9754.

*For enquiries about PhD studies**:*
Peter Ahlström, PhD representative, dr-ordf at csc.kth.se.


*For more information, see: *

https://www.kth.se/en/om/work-at-kth/lediga-jobb/what:job/jobID:91423/where:4/



-- 
Jonas Beskow
Professor in Speech Communication
KTH Speech, Music and Hearing
Lindstedstvägen 24
10044 Stockholm
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