[LAU] [semi-OT] PhD position at IEM: Sonification research

[Peter Plessas]

Dear List,
forwarding this job posting, as people on this list could be interested:
best, P

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Job posted by Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics/ University of 
Music and Performing Arts Graz (23/11/2011)

PhD student in Sonification Research (Audio Engineering/ Climate Science)

Applications are invited for a postgraduate student to join the 
Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics (IEM, http://iem.kug.ac.at) 
at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz for the FWF funded 
project SysSon – A systematic procedure to develop sonifications.

The goal of SysSon is the systematic development of sonifications - from 
finding sound metaphors and creating a ‘sound library’ to aesthetic/ 
scientific evaluation and finally the sonification tool ‘ClAudio-Climate 
Audio’. The procedure is developed with and tested on data from Climate 
Science. Main researchers of the project (and supervisors of the PhD) 
are R. Höldrich and K. Vogt at IEM, where the PhD student will be based. 
Cooperation partners are the Wegener Center for Climate and Global 
Change (www.wegcenter.at) and the Center for Systematic Musicology 
(www.uni-graz.at/en/muwi99ww).

The PhD will comprise the application of the procedure to data from 
climate science: handling data compatibility issues, sound synthesis, 
co-development of evaluation test design, finalizing of ClAudio, and 
supporting of sound installation.

The position is available from 1st February 2012 and financial support 
is guaranteed for 2 1⁄2 years (an additional half year of support for 
writing up the thesis is envisaged). Salary will be paid according to 
www.fwf.ac.at („Personalkostensätze“ – „DoktorandIn“).

The closing date for applications is 25th December 2011. (Skype) 
interviews are planned for January. Female applicants are preferentially 
considered in case of equal qualification.

We expect:
+ A Master’s degree in audio engineering and electrical engineering or 
computer science or similar, who have a solid scientific background in 
acoustics, sound synthesis and auditory perception. An additional 
background in sciences (physics/ climate science) is beneficial. 
Candidates about to earn their degree are welcome to apply.
+ Familiarity with programming languages (either SuperCollider3 or Pure 
Data; plus other programs such as Max MSP, MATLAB, etc.) is a precondition.
+ High motivation for interdisciplinary and application-oriented work 
and a special interest for sonification research.
+ An integrative and cooperative personality.
+ Very good communication skills in English.

We offer:

+ A top-level research environment at the edge of technology and the 
arts; the IEM is considered to be Austria’s leading research institution 
in the field of audio engineering with the three research areas Artistic 
Research, Signal Processing and Acoustics, and Computer Music (including 
sonification).
+ Efficient supervision by an interdisciplinary team of supervisors, 
strong communication and interaction between the involved institutions.
+ The location in Graz – a city of five universities (two are involved 
in SysSon) and cultural capital of Europe 2003, hosting internationally 
renowned festivals such as steirischer herbst and Elevate.

Please send your applications (in English or German) to vogt(at)iem.at 
including:

+ letter of motivation or résumé
+ CV
+ copy of relevant university diplomas
+ a short exposé (1-2 pages) on a previous project related to audio 
engineering, sonification or similar

(sound examples –or their links- are welcome)