PhD position on data analytics and machine learning for smart cities - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Information Technology has a leading position in research and education. The Department currently has about 280 employees, including 120 teachers and 110 PhD students. More than 4000 students study one or more courses at the department each year. More info: http://www.it.uu.se

Subject Area/Scope: Cities around the world are currently under quick transition towards a low carbon environment, high quality of living, and resource efficient economy. Data from various sources (e.g. Internet-of-Things, smart systems, people) and context (e.g. water, energy, traffic, and buildings) are considered to be the most valuable asset of a smart city. However, the heterogeneity of data makes it difficult to interpret, combine, analyze, and consume. Artificial intelligence and big data analytics are valuable techniques to be explored for addressing this challenge.

This project aims at investigating data analytics and machine learning methods to strengthen urban planning and knowledge sharing between cities and stakeholders. It includes the design and development of an interconnected knowledge platform to guide and improve robust decision making on future urban development. The project solution will be implemented and experimented in real environments in Europe, US and Asia, through international collaborations within the EU CRUNCH project.

Project Description: The EU CRUNCH project will strengthen urban planning and knowledge sharing between cities and stakeholders through creating an interconnected knowledge platform (an Integrated Decision Support System - IDSS), to guide and improve robust decision making on future urban development. The project solutions will be implemented in the Urban Living Labs (ULLs) in participating cities, including Southend-on-Sea, Uppsala, Eindhoven and Gdansk; Miami and Taipei. CRUNCH will lead to a comprehensive platform solution that can provide deep knowledge and facilitate experience sharing between cities, foster innovation and cost-effectiveness across the ULLs.

Duties: Successful candidate will contribute to the design and development of novel scientific algorithms and systems, including:  

• Novel data analytics and machine learning algorithms to support decision making and urban planning.
• Design and development of an integrated knowledge platform for data collection, knowledge sharing, and visualization for smart cities.
• Implementation and evaluation of the project solutions in real environment, including the Urban Living Labs in selected cities.

Qualifications: The candidate should have a Master of Science in computer science, computer engineering, or equivalent with a solid grasp in data mining and machine learning, and show interests in urban data and smart city planning. Knowledge and experience on smart systems, such as Internet-of-Things and cloud computing will be very valuable. Good programming skills and communication skills are required in this project. We expect the student to have demonstrated ability to do research, as seen through his/her MS thesis, and fluent verbal and written English.

The position is for a maximum of five years and includes departmental duties at a level of at most 20% (typically teaching) as well as course studies. The candidate will be expected to teach in English or Swedish. Excellent skills in spoken and written English are an absolute requirement.

Working in Sweden: Sweden is a fantastic place for living and working. Swedes are friendly and speak excellent English. The quality of life is high, with a strong emphasis on outdoor activities. The Swedish working climate emphasizes an open atmosphere, with active discussions involving both junior and senior staff. All PhD students and Postdocs are full employees, with standard salaries and five weeks of paid holiday. The starting salary of PhD student is currently 27400sek/month (around 2700Euro/month). Spouses of employees are entitled to work permits, and, after being awarded a PhD degree, non-EU-citizens are eligible for permanent work permits. Healthcare is free after a small co-pay and the university subsidizes athletic costs, such as a gym membership. The parental benefits in Sweden are among the best in the world, including extensive parental leave (for both parents), paid time off to care for sick children, and affordable daycare.

Application: The application should include a description of yourself, your research interests, reasons for applying for this particular PhD position and past experience (max. 3 pages), a CV, copies of relevant university degrees and transcripts, relevant publications, a copy of your MSc thesis (or a summary in case the thesis is ongoing) and other relevant documents. Candidates are encouraged to provide up to 3 letters of recommendation and contact information to reference persons. We would also like to know your earliest possible date for starting.

Please note that applications can only be accepted via the web interface link below (and not via email).  

Rules governing Ph.D. candidates are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala university's rules and guidelines http://regler.uu.se/search/?hits=30&languageId=1&search-language_en=English

Uppsala University strives to be an inclusive workplace that promotes equal opportunities and attracts qualified candidates who can contribute to the University’s excellence and diversity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people of all backgrounds.

Salary: According to local agreement for PhD students and teaching assistants.
 
Starting date: As agreed upon.

Type of position: Full time position.

For further information about the position please contact Dr. Edith C.-H. Ngai, edith.ngai@it.uu.se

Please submit your application by 30 April 2018, UFV-PA 2018/748.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.