5 research positions in visual computing at the Expertise centre for Digital Media in Diepenbeek, Belgium

Following the acquisition of several new R&D projects, the visual computing research group of the Expertise centre for Digital Media (EDM) in Diepenbeek, Belgium, has 5 vacancies for young researchers. The projects relate to compressive sensing, light field cameras and displays, 360 degrees video and free viewpoint video, 3D shape reconstruction, reconstruction of light reflection properties, augmented reality, and high dynamic range imaging.

Two positions are financed for a period of 4 years by the Hasselt University research fund, and require the candidate to perform fundamental research towards a PhD degree.

Three positions are opened in the context of new EU FP7 international collaborative research and development projects focussing on computational multi-camera technology for movie production and TV broadcasting. These projects enable a candidate to obtain a PhD degree eventually, but are also open for candidates not aiming for a PhD degree in the first place. These projects have a duration of 3 years. EDM participates in these projects as a part of the iMinds research institute.

The envisaged start date of all 5 positions is October 2013.

About us:

The Expertise centre for Digital Media (EDM, www.edm.uhasselt.be) is a lab of Hasselt University, and part of the iMinds research institute. EDM was founded in 1987 and currently hosts over 60 researchers and staff in visual computing and human computer interaction. EDM covers the full spectrum from basic research - with publications at top-conferences such as ACM SIGGRAPH and IEEE CVPR - to contract R&D, and has given rise to 8 spin-off companies since 1991.

iMinds (www.iminds.be) is an independent research institute founded by the Flemish (Dutch-language Belgium) government, aiming at a lasting and positive impact on society through innovation in ICT. iMinds mission is to create highly competent human capital in different aspects of ICT through multi-disciplinary demand-driven research. This includes all technological, legal and social dimensions of development and exploitation.

iMinds unites over 1.000 researchers, in 5 research departments, and has carried out over 250 R&D projects in its core competence areas Internet, Media & Imaging, Health, Security and Digital Society. Many of these projects are of a large scale and visibility in the region. iMinds researchers are embedded in research labs spread over several universities in Flanders, including the Expertise centre for Digital Media (EDM) of Hasselt University.

EDM is located on the science park in Diepenbeek, Belgium, near the city of Hasselt. Hasselt (www.hasselt.be) is a bustling and charming town of about 74.000 inhabitants and 14.000 students at 1 hour or less driving from Brussels, Antwerp, Liege (Belgium), Maastricht, Eindhoven (Netherlands), and Aachen (Germany). Hasselt is characterised by a high quality of living (ranked 2nd of 20 Belgian cities in June 2012) at an affordable cost of living, and is an attraction pole for creative young people.

Your job:

You will be a member of the scientific research team at EDM. Depending on the project, you will enjoy a scholarship from Hasselt University, or be on the payroll of iMinds.

As usual for researchers in an academic environment, you

- will be responsible for acquiring and maintaining an accurate and complete understanding of the academic and industrial state of the art in the project topic;

- will carry out original technological research and development advancing the state of the art;

- will disseminate research results in leading scientific fora;

- will work autonomously to a high degree, with support and advice from the visual computing group staff and colleagues.

Researchers on the more applied collaborative R&D projects

- will demonstrate research outcomes in concrete real-world applications, concerning computational multi-camera methods for movie production and TV broadcasting, together with renowned companies and research institutes active in that field all-over Europe;

- will be responsible for day-to-day communication with project partners;

- will report research activities in project documentation aimed at less expert readers, besides scientific publications.

Your profile:

Candidates hold a master degree in an exact scientific discipline, with specialisation in computer vision, computer graphics and/or image processing. Also students, who are expected to graduate by the summer of 2013, are warmly welcome to apply.

The ideal candidate:

- is bright, studious, and passionate about the topic : in order to not only understand the state of the art, but to also advance the state of the art;

- is proficient in implementing visual computing concepts : be able to turn theory into working C++ code, mastering or be motivated to learn GPU programming a.o.;

- is able to work autonomously, yet is a team player;

- has excellent English reading, writing and oral communication skills.

Our offer:

EDM provide successful candidates with a stimulating, dynamic and flexible work environment with young colleagues, a network with world class research laboratories and companies in the field of visual computing in Belgium and abroad, the opportunity for research stays abroad, an attractive salary (in the order of 1800 Euro per month net,  with social security and health insurance covered by the employer) and extra-legal benefits.

Application:

Send your resume and get in touch with

Prof. Philippe Bekaert, philippe.bekaert@uhasselt.be

Prof. Gauthier Lafruit, gauthier.lafruit@uhasselt.be

and Dr. Sammy Rogmans, sammy.rogmans@iminds.be