Research Associate (Computer Science)

Role Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Research Associate to work on a newly-funded H2020 European project on testing for robotic systems within the Department of Computer Science. You will work at the intersection of software engineering, testing, machine learning and robotics and will contribute to the design and implementation of methods and tools capable of assuring safety and security properties of mobile robots.  More specifically, the Research Associate position is on developing robustness and simulation-based testing techniques to assess safety and security properties of robots and support the analysis of robustness and resilience of system designs and implementations.

Department

You will be part of a large and internationally leading team who specialises in software engineering and it is part of the Department of Computer Science. The team has a substantial track record in software engineering research, and in the past has been very successful at delivering research results as part of big, collaborative research projects. The team includes five permanent members of academic staff, five research associates, and 20 PhD/EngD students. It is highly supportive and encourages cross-project collaboration, especially on joint publications and developing new research projects.

The post is available on a fixed-term basis for 36 months. The start date is February 2021

Role

• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects, duties to include: analysis and interpretation of research data; use of appropriate research techniques and methods; writing up of research results and dissemination through publications,  seminar and conference presentations and public engagement and outreach activities; contributing to the identification of possible new areas of research
• To contribute to the preparation of research proposals and applications to external bodies
• To undertake appropriate organisational and administrative activities connected to the research project.
• To develop and initiate collaborative working internally and externally, duties to include: the building of internal contacts and participation in internal networks; collaboration with colleagues on joint projects as required.
• To provide guidance to other staff and students, as required, as well as coordinating the work of small  research teams
• To assist with undergraduate teaching in own area of expertise.     

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

• A PhD in a technological / engineering area relevant to software engineering, robotics or machine learning. Significant experience in these areas may be considered in lieu of a PhD.
• Strong object-oriented design and development skills (preferably using Java/JVM-based languages and/or Python).
• Knowledge of software testing and analysis.
• Essential personal attributes for this role include attention to detail and commitment to high quality, a collaborative ethos, positive attitude to colleagues, commitment to personal development, and ability to plan and prioritise own work to meet deadlines.

For informal enquiries Dr Nicholas Matragkas (nicholas.matragkas@york.ac.uk) and Dr. Simos Gerasimou (simos.gerasimou@ york.ac.uk

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