PhD candidates - Spontaneous Applications for Next Generation Radar Sensing Networks

(Valid from 22/01/2024 to 31/12/2024)   

Language: English (UK) 

Country: Luxembourg   

Organisation data: Interdisciplinary Centre of Security, Reliability and Trust 

Job Number: UOL05451 

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 

Duration 36 Month 

Schedule Type: Full Time 

Work Hours 40.0 Hours per Week 

Expected Start Date: 01/04/2023   

Job (internal): Doctoral Researcher 

Functions: PhD Candidates     

About the SnT

SnT is a leading international research and innovation centre in secure, reliable and trustworthy ICT systems and services. We play an instrumental role in Luxembourg by fueling innovation through research partnerships with industry, boosting R&D investments leading to economic growth, and attracting highly qualified talent.

The SPARC group in SnT is pursuing research on wireless communications and radar signal processing in partnership with national and international academic and industrial collaborators. Updated information about the recent activities of SPARC can be found here: www.radarmimo.com/

We’re looking for people driven by excellence, excited about innovation, and looking to make a difference. If this sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place!

  Your Role

The group has been working on next generation radar sensors in different applications, including automotive, autonomous vehicles, in-cabin monitoring, occupancy sensing, drones, multi-copters, gesture recognition, smart buildings, smart street lighting, smart factories, healthcare and robotics. The emerging radar sensors that are in use by the group, are using multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology and can be connected to build distributed and co-operative sensing networks. SPARC group has further expanded its research to integrated sensing and communications, weather radar systems and metacognitive radars,. To develop the signal processing techniques, the group researchers are using real data captured by the available radar modules at the lab, or the custom built MIMO radar with flexibility of changing the transmit waveform and signal processing units on the fly. Its members have been involved in a number of seminal papers in the area of waveform optimization, vital signs monitoring, joint radar and communications, sparse arrays, interference modeling, 4D radar imaging, distributed sensing, and tracking. SPARC has also collaborating with long term industry partner IEE S.A (www.iee.lu) , University of Naples Federico II, US Airforce Laboratories, TU Berlin and TU Munich among others.

Position Description:

To augment the current research and investigate interesting novel problems identified in the aforementioned areas, the SPARC group is looking for a Doctoral candidate to work in any of the aforementioned applications of next generation radar networks. The research would be based on radar signal processing principles and would involve system modelling, use of optimization or data-driven methods for system optimization and an elaborate performance analysis. The PhD would focus on one of the following:

• Theoretical performance bounds on radar tasks in distributed radar networks with the use of large reflective surfaces and robust estimation algorithms
• Novel high mobility joint radar and communication systems exploring novel architectures (ultra-massive MIMO, intelligent surfaces), new modulation techniques exploiting available dimensions in next generation sub-THz/ THz systems
• Novel approaches to radar based health monitoring, including vital sign monitoring in the absence of a controlled environment through the use of distributed sensors
• erif; font-size: 12px;">Novel algorithms and architectures for distributed point cloud processing for target detection, identification and tracking
• Statistical analysis of interference in radar networks
• Novel radar related applications including automotive, autonomous vehicles, in-cabin monitoring, occupancy sensing, drones, multi-copters, gesture recognition, smart buildings, smart street lighting, smart factories, and robotics
• Novel methodologies for improving the performance of radar systems for weather applications, and dual use radar systems

  Your Profile

Qualification: The candidate should possess (or be in the process of completing) a master degree or equivalent in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Science or Applied Mathematics or Physics with electromagnetic background.

Experience: The ideal candidate should have good theoretical background in a number of the following topics:

• Radar Systems and Signal Processing
• Multiuser MIMO Communications, 5G
• Signal Processing in Wireless Sensor Networks
• Optimization methodologies
• Information Theory
• Machine Learning

Development skills in MATLAB/ python/ LabView is required and exposure to latest communication and radar technologies, linear algebra and Tensors are desirable. Exposure to HW prototyping using USRPs and experience with radar sensors (FMCW, CW, pulse, ...) would be a plus.

Language Skills: Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English are required.

Here’s what awaits you at SnT

• A stimulating learning environment. Here post-docs and professors outnumber PhD students. That translates into access and close collaborations with some of the brightest ICT researchers, giving you solid guidance
• Exciting infrastructures and unique labs. At SnT’s two campuses, our researchers can take a walk on the moon at the LunaLab, build a nanosatellite, or help make autonomous vehicles even better
• The right place for IMPACT. SnT researchers engage in demand-driven projects. Through our Partnership Programme, we work on projects with more than 45 industry partners
• Multiple funding sources for your ideas. The University supports researchers to acquire funding from national, European and private sources
• Competitive salary package. The University offers a 12 month-salary package, over six weeks of paid time off, health insurance and subsidised living and eating
• Be part of a multicultural family. At SnT we have more than 60 nationalities. Throughout the year, we organise team-building events, networking activities and more

But wait, there’s more!

• Complete picture of the perks we offer
• Discover our Partnership Programme
• Download the brochure: Why choose SnT for your PhD?

Students can take advantage of several opportunities for growth and career development, from free language classes to career resources and extracurricular activities.

  In Short

• Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month - extendable up to 48 months if required
• Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week
• Location: Kirchberg
• Employee and student status
• Job Reference: UOL05451

The yearly gross salary for every PhD at the UL is EUR 40952 (full time)

  How to apply

Applications in English should be submitted online and include:

• Full CV, including list of publications, bachelor/master thesis and names (and contact information including email addresses) of references
• Transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses taken
• Research statement and topics of particular interest to the candidate (300 words)

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

Early application is highly encouraged, as the applications will be processed upon reception. Please apply formally through the HR system. Applications by email will not be considered.

The University of Luxembourg embraces inclusion and diversity as key values. We are fully committed to removing any discriminatory barrier related to gender, and not only, in recruitment and career progression of our staff.

  About the University of Luxembourg University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character. The University was founded in 2003 and counts more than 6,700 students and more than 2,000 employees from around the world. The University’s faculties and interdisciplinary centres focus on research in the areas of Computer Science and ICT Security, Materials Science, European and International Law, Finance and Financial Innovation, Education, Contemporary and Digital History. In addition, the University focuses on cross-disciplinary research in the areas of Data Modelling and Simulation as well as Health and System Biomedicine. Times Higher Education ranks the University of Luxembourg #3 worldwide for its “international outlook,” #20 in the Young University Ranking 2021 and among the top 250 universities worldwide.   

Further information

For further information, please contact us at:

Bhavani.Shankar@uni.lu or Mohammad.Alaee@uni.lu