[AUDITORY] Two fully funded PhD stipends in network audio signal processing is available at Aalborg University

At the Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Department of Electronic Systems, two fully funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie PhD stipends in Network Audio Signal Processing are available within the general study programme Electrical and Electronic Engineering and under the supervision of Prof. Jan Østergaard. The stipends are open for appointment from February 1, 2021, or soon as possible thereafter.

The PhD students employed at AAU will be fully embedded in the SOUNDS research and training network, and will carry out theoretical and applied research in the interdisciplinary fields of signal processing, audio processing, communication networks and machine learning. The topics of the positions are related to the following fields:

1) Learning, compressing, and distributing acoustic changes in networked environments.

2) Real-time distributed speech compression and enhancement in wireless hearing aids.

THE “SOUNDS” PROJECT

The SOUNDS European Training Network (ETN) revolves around a new and promising paradigm coined as Service- Oriented, Ubiquitous, Network-Driven Sound. Inspired by the ubiquity of mobile and wearable devices capable of capturing, processing, and reproducing sound, the SOUNDS ETN aims to bring audio technology to a new level by exploiting network-enabled cooperation between devices. We envision the next generation of audio devices to be capable of providing enhanced hearing assistance, creating immersive audio experience, enabling advanced voice control and much more, by seamlessly exchanging signals and parameter settings, and spatially analyzing and reproducing sound jointly with other nearby audio devices and infrastructure. Moreover, such functionality should be self-organizing, flexible, and scalable, requiring minimal user interaction for adapting to changes in the environment or network. It is anticipated that this paradigm will eventually result in an entirely new way of designing and using audio technology, by considering audio as a service enabled through shared infrastructure, rather than as a device-specific functionality limited by the capabilities and constraints of a single user device.

To attain this paradigm shift in audio technology not only requires additional research but also calls for a new generation of qualified researchers with a transdisciplinary and international scientific profile, strong collaborative research and research management skills, and the intersectoral expertise needed to carry research results from academia to industry. It is believed that the SOUNDS ETN will offer the best possible framework for achieving these goals, by organizing advanced interdisciplinary research training, developing solid transferable skills, and providing intersectoral and international experience in a network of qualified and complementary industrial and academic institutions.

The SOUNDS ETN strongly values research integrity, actively supports open access and reproducible research, and strives for diversity and gender balance in its entire research and training program. The SOUNDS ETN adheres to The European Charter for Researchers and The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Profile of the candidate:

The candidate has a Master degree in information theory, statistical signal processing, estimation theory, adaptive signal processing, or audio processing, and have a solid background in mathematics.

Excellent proficiency in the English language is required, as well as good communication skills, both oral and written.

Candidates must satisfy the eligibility conditions for MSCA Early Stage Researchers, i.e., they must have obtained their Master degree in the past 4 years and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the past 3 years

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed every six months. It is a prerequisite for continuation of salary payment that the previous progress is approved at the time of the evaluation.

To apply for the position visit: https://www.vacancies.aau.dk/show-vacancy/?vacancy=1132766