Postdoctoral Researcher in Wireless Communications

The University of Oulu is a multidisciplinary, international research university, with about 3,600 employees who produce new knowledge based on high-standards research and provide research based education to build a more sustainable, smarter, and more humane world. The University of Oulu community has about 17,000 people in total. Our northern scientific community operates globally and creates conditions for the emergence of innovations.  

We are now looking for

a Postdoctoral Researcher

to join us at the Centre for Wireless Communications (CWC) at the University of Oulu, Finland.

CWC is one of the leading research units globally in wireless communications. Its mission is to conduct world-class research, create new technologies, train world-class graduates, and transfer technology to real use. CWC is also home to the 6G Flagship.

About the job

As a Postdoctoral Researcher, you will conduct research within and co-lead a small research team, assist Principal Investigators with writing research proposals, and publish research results in the most esteemed international forums. Finnish and European research agencies will fund your work.

We seek motivated candidates interested in taming the inherently stringent constraints of low-power/cost IoT systems to provide more robustness and intelligence. The focus would be mostly at PHY/MAC layers, but also at higher layers and especially several domains (sensing, computing, actuation), as we argue that such ultra-constrained devices must be optimized tightly (cross-layered and cross-domain). Topics of interest include:

• Sensing, actuation, computing, and/or communication (including multiple-access) IoT protocols
• Tiny/edge intelligence for low-power IoT networks, offload vs local compute
• Techniques/technologies like backscattering, wake-up radio/signals, duty-cycling, energy harvesting-assisted networks,  atomization, and checkpointing techniques  
• Local energy management IoT protocols, energy-aware protocols, hardware-aging-aware protocols
• Low-power/cost IoT edge and nodes technologies
• Energy-neutral device manufacturing and performance trade-offs. How can these dynamically influence operation protocols?

The main duties of the post-doctoral researcher are related to undertaking original academic research under the guidance of the Principal Investigator on several of the above topics, developing innovative research proposals, supporting the supervision of students who may be assisting with the research, publishing in high-impact journals and conference venues, and maintaining a thorough, transparent, and insightful collaboration with the whole research team.

What we offer?

• The support of an experienced and enthusiastic team of researchers where you can share your expertise and grow as an expert.
• Wellness benefits ePassi covering sport, culture, and well-being. Read more about other staff benefits. 
• Development and career options of the big organization.
• Work that matters and a workplace that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Read more about working with us.
• Our Buddy Programme and Spouse Network support you and close-ones in settling into Oulu.
• We have a HR Excellence in Research -quality label which is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers. 
• Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, an excellent education system, and a competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu.

Who are you?

To succeed in the position, we expect from you:

• a doctoral degree in Electrical and Communications Engineering and/or Computer Sciences with top grades. The degree must be awarded no more than 10 years ago.
• In addition, a good track of high-impact publications and/or prominent industry-related experience on IoT (communication, sensing, and computing) networks,
• a strong background in Mathematics, Programming, and in at least one of the following domains is a pre-requisite:
  • convex optimization
  • signal processing
  • wireless communications
  • IoT and/or prototyping
• good aptitude for working both independently and as part of a team and developing strong productive relationships,
• excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

we also appreciate:

• know-how and experience in tiny machine learning, radar/sensing, and/or other 6G enabling technologies. 

Salary

The position is fixed-term for 3 years as of 01.01.2025, but a bit earlier and later are possible.

The salary will be based on the levels [5 – 6] of Finnish universities' demand level chart for teaching and research staff. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (a maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). The starting gross salary will be approx. 3600€ per month (before taxes). A trial period of 6 months is applied.

How to apply?

Interested? If yes, please apply through our recruitment system by 15.10.2024 (23:59 Finnish local time).

The application should be written in English and include the following:

1. CV (including a list of publications) following the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity
2. Certificates/Diplomas
3. Motivation letter (2-page description of the motivation and suitability for the position, and more importantly, the specific research interests and how would be tentatively addressed)
4. List of publication
5. Contact information of two persons available for recommendation

The eligible applicants fitting best in the profile expected for the position will be invited to an on-site or remote interview. All applicants will be notified during the selection process.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, such as people of different ages and genders, as well as lingual, cultural, or minority groups. 

Contact Information

If you have any further questions, please contact Assoc. Prof. Onel López at onel.alcarazlopez@oulu.fi.

1. Onel Luis Alcaraz López,