Postdoctoral Researcher – Computer Vision, Vision Language Models, and Explainable Artificial Intelligence Insight Research Centre for Data Analytics, School of Computer Science
Posted : 16 September 2024
Closes : 27 September 2024
Location : Galway

Postdoctoral Researcher

Computer Vision, Vision Language Models, and Explainable Artificial Intelligence Insight Research Centre for Data Analytics, School of Computer Science

Ref. No. 010636

 JOB ADVERTISEMENT

 Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time fixed term 12-month contract position as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the SFI Insight Centre for Data Analytics at the University of Galway, Ireland.

The University is committed to embracing opportunities for hybrid working, to build a more dynamic, agile and responsive University, while sustaining strong standards of teaching, learning, research and high levels of productivity. The University will continue to be the primary workplace for all staff, however individual hybrid arrangement requests can be reviewed with the Line Manager in conjunction with the University Hybrid Working Policy.

This position is funded by Insight Research Center for Data Analytics at the University of Galway, Ireland and is available from 1st November 2024 to contract end date of 31st October 2025.

SFI Insight Centre for Data Analytics at the University of Galway is a node of the nationwide Insight Centre for Data Analytics. The center performs fundamental and applied research in a range of research areas to enable this, including machine/deep learning, multimodal data analysis, data streams, and sensor networks, knowledge discovery, natural language processing, social semantics, and social network analysis, among others. Research outcomes are applied in use cases across a range of domains, including eGovernment, financial services, manufacturing, eHealth, and Life Sciences.

The School of Computer Science is ambitious and growing, and we invite the new appointees to contribute to this together with us. The vision of the School of Computer Science is to build a strong and sustainable learning environment with world-recognised research that informs high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate teaching that is inclusive and relevant to the needs of our stakeholders and society in general. The School of Computer Science was initially established in 1991 as the Information Technology Discipline, and became a School in 2019, recognising its growth and significance.

Salary:  Postdoctoral  Researcher  salary  scale  €44,346  –  €56,764  per  annum,  (subject  to  the  project’s  funding limitations), and pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts.

The default position for all new public sector appointments is the 1st point of the salary scale. This may be reviewed, and consideration afforded to appointment at a higher point on the payscale (subject to the project’s funding limitations), where evidence of prior years’ equivalent experience is accepted in determining placement on the scale above point 1, subject to the maximum of the scale.

(Research Salary Scales – University of Galway)

Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 (Irish Time) on 27th September 2024. It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date.

JOB DESCRIPTION

 The postdoctoral researcher will be expected to perform research and development in the areas of computer vision, vision language models (VLM), explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), designing light weight neural networks, federated learning (FL), and Large Language Models (LLM) within an established group of researchers and PhD students with expertise in computer vision, XAI, LLMs, FL, and designing light weight neural networks for medical imaging and autonomous vehicles applications as well as applying this expertise in various domains including healthcare, sustainability, smart cities, and privacy.

The successful candidates will have the opportunity to manage and work in existing projects related to XAI, medical imaging, VLM, and digital twin. In addition, the candidate will be expected to work in proposal writing to secure new grants under the supervision of Principal Investigator.

The successful candidates will be based in the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics and School of Computer Science at the University of Galway. The successful candidates will be supported in their professional development, be able to avail of a range of career level focussed training opportunities, have the potential to publish research findings in leading journals (e.g. TIP, PAMI, PRL) and international conferences (e.g. CVPR, ECCV, ICCV).

Duties:

Research:

  • Conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship under the supervision and direction of your Principal Investigator.
  • Actively participate as a member of a research team and conduct a particular study/ies in Computer Vision, XAI, VLM, FL, and designing light weight neural networks for various types of inputs in ML/DL model.
  • Collaborate with in/across centre or schools, locally or internationally with other researchers and industry partners.
  • To help in conducting research activities, including planning, organizing, conducting, and communicating research studies within the overall scope of a research project and research strategy whilst contributing to the research programme of the School/Research This will be under general guidance of Principal Investigator.
  • Conduct literature and database searches and interpret and present the findings of the literature searches as appropriate.
  • Engage in Education and Public Engagement (EPE) activities of the School and Insight Centre.
  • Develop and maintain Knowledge and understanding of the policy, practices and procedures, relevant to the role, which may include broader University/sector/external sponsor or funder (e.g. Commercial Awareness, Research Ethics, Knowledge Transfer, Patents, Intellectual Property Rights, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities & Diversity, legal requirements regarding data protection and confidentiality).

Write up & disseminate:

  • Supporting Principal Investigator in proposal writing for future local and international funding.
  • Engage in the dissemination of the results of the research with the support of and under the supervision of your Principal Investigator.
    • Write up results from own research activity.
    • Publish on a regular basis in high reputable conferences, journals, workshops, or books.
    • Assess research  findings  for  the  need/scope  for  further  investigations  /  commercial exploitation (patents / commercial application (as appropriate).
    • Translate knowledge of advances in the subject area into research activity.
  • Communicate the research with their peers
  • Attend and network at relevant conferences and meeting hosted by relevant professional institutions and other universities as appropriate.

Management:

  • To coordinate and perform a variety of independent tasks and team activities involved in the collection, analysis, documentation, and some interpretation of information/results.
  • Plan and manage own day-to-day research activity within this framework & direction.
  • Managing a small research team/co-ordinating other researcher activity
  • Provide advice,  guidance  and/or  assistance  required  to  any  support  staff  and/or  research students assisting with the research project, as agreed with the Principal investigator.
  • To perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.
  • Manage own  research  budget,  if  any,  and  keep  records  as  directed  and  in  line  with Funder/University policy as appropriate.
  • Any other duties assigned commensurate to this level of post.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Essential Requirements:

  • PhD in Computer Science or relevant field with specialisation in deep/machine learning, computer vision, explainable AI, Bias, and/or Fairness in AI, vision language models, and edge computing
  • Excellent understanding of experimental design and scientific methodologies
  • Strong command of oral and written English
  • In depth experience with expertise in deep learning libraries in Python or other languages and publication in rank 1 conference and journals

Desirable Requirements:

  • Substantial publications relevant to computer science (deep learning, XAI, Fair AI, ) in relevant reputable venues (e.g. publication in CVPR, ECCV, ICCV, PR Letters, TPAMI)
  • Experience with proposal writing and knowhow of fundings
  • Experience with organising special issue, tracks, workshops, or conferences
  • Good programming skills and evidence of previously completed software projects
  • Track record of contribution to open-source projects.
  • Ability to work as part of team.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Researchers at University of Galway are encouraged to avail of a range of training and development opportunities designed to support their personal career development plans. University of Galway provides continuing professional development supports for all researchers seeking to build their own career pathways either within or beyond academia. Researchers are encouraged to engage with our Researcher Development Centre (RDC) upon commencing employment – see HERE for further information.

Further Information/Links

o  How to apply guide