[alife] Job Advert: Research Assistant/Fellow in Developmental Robotics

[Kerstin Dautenhahn]

RESEARCH ASSISTANT/RESEARCH FELLOW in DEVELOPMENTAL ROBOTICS

The University of Hertfordshire
http://www.herts.ac.uk

School of Computer Science
Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences

Adaptive Systems Research Group
http://adapsys.feis.herts.ac.uk/

Salary c 15900 -  22100 British Pounds (Depending on qualifications and 
experience)

Closing Date 3 May 2006

Applications from postgraduate candidates are invited for a full-time research 
assistantship in developmental robotics. The post is suitable for
candidates wishing to pursue a PhD in the specific area, or postdoctoral 
applicants.

The post offers the opportunity to work within the Adaptive Systems
Research Group, a proactive and dynamic research team with an excellent
international research profile. The successful candidate will work
in the European project RobotCub (ROBotic Open-architecture Technology
for Cognition, Understanding and Behaviour, http://www.robotcub.org).

Within Robotcub, the research team at University of Hertfordshire is involved 
in the development of algorithms that will contribute to the software component 
of the robot. The new post will complement existing work in the research team 
by addressing imitation, mirroring and synchronization processes in human-robot 
interaction, and investigating the communicative role of imitation in dynamic 
interaction games. Such processes emphasizing the role of dynamics in 
interaction play an important part in child development and computational 
algorithms will be developed to study these issues using a child-sized robot 
platform (Kaspar: http://kaspar.feis.herts.ac.uk/) available in the group. The 
research position involves: a) learning about developmental models of imitation 
and social interaction, b) Dealing with the sensori-motor loop
of the robot (interfacing sensors and operating actuators), c) designing,
conducting and statistically analysing human-robot interacting studies into 
imitation, mirroring and sychronization, d) writing scientific publications and 
reports documenting the work.

Applicants are expected to have excellent qualifications and experience in 
biologically inspired research, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Artificial 
Life or related disciplines. A specialist postgraduate degree (MSc, PhD) or 
other strong evidence of research experience is required, as well as excellent 
skills in presenting research and writing scientific documents. The successful 
candidate should be highly interested in working in an interdisciplinary and 
European research team.  For a successful applicant without a PhD the work is 
expected to form the basis of the candidate's PhD research.

The position is based on a fixed-term contract of up to three years. The post 
is available full-time. Start date: June 2006 (later is possible).

Informal enquiries can be made to the research coordinator Prof. K. Dautenhahn 
at K.Dautenhahn at herts.ac.uk

Applications **must** be made formally via the University of Hertfordshire 
Personnel Office. On-line applications are possible at 
http://recruitment.herts.ac.uk/Recruit/tabletestAll.cfm

Closing date: 3 May 2006
Interview Date (tentative): 15 May 2006