Work environment
Eindhoven University of Technology (https://www.tue.nl/en/) is one of Europe's top technological universities, situated at the heart of a most innovative high-tech region. Thanks to a wealth of collaborations with industry and academic institutes, our research has real-world impact. In 2015, TU/e was ranked 106th in the Times Higher Educational World University ranking and 49th in the Shanghai ARWU ranking (engineering). TU/e has around 3,000 employees and 2,300 PhD students (half of which international, representing about 70 nationalities).

The candidate will work at the Department of Electrical Engineering (https://www.tue.nl/en/university/departments/electrical-engineering/). Within this department, research and education is done in domains of Telecommunication, Care and Cure, and Smart energy systems. The interfaculty Institute for Photonic Integration (IPI; previously known as COBRA) performs research in the area of broadband telecommunication, by investigating the potential of optical technologies. As a key member of IPI, the Electro-Optical Communication Systems (ECO) group focuses its research on optical communication system techniques, ranging from systems for ultra-high capacity long reach transmission (encompassing single-mode, multi-mode and multi-core fiber systems), ultra-fast (all-) optical packet switching nodes, high-density intra-data center networks, to multi-service flexible access and in-building networks (including radio-over-fibre and optical wireless communication).  ECO participates in several national and international projects. 

Project description
The H2020 5G PPP project METRO-HAUL addresses the challenges of designing and developing a spectrally efficient and adaptive optical metro network infrastructure. This network should be able to support traffic originating from heterogeneous 5G access networks, addressing the anticipated capacity increase and its specific requirements such as high mobility, low latency, low jitter etc. The novel METRO-HAUL network solution, by means of dynamic elastic optical networking, includes both transparent and flexible optical switching and adaptive optical transmission. The new METRO-HAUL edge node will address the granularity mismatch between the wireless access and the optical metro domain supporting dynamic optical bandwidth allocation. It will be coordinated by a dedicated control plane responsible for the provisioning of 5G and vertical industry services through the allocation of heterogeneous compute, storage and networking resources also embedded in the node. Through the combination of improved, elastic optical techniques and intelligent, dynamic management of 5G applications, METRO-HAUL will perform demonstrations of real 5G and vertical services, with more than100 times the capacity of current metro optical networks.

Tasks
The PostDoc candidate will design, develop, and experimentally assess the novel edge node in the METRO-HAUL architecture. He/she will numerically and experimentally investigate optical edge node network architectures that are able to interconnect a number of novel optical technologies to be developed in the project such as photonic WDM switches and bandwidth-variable transceivers in order to support the required dynamicity and flexibility. Moreover, in order to enable concepts such as hardware disaggregation and virtualization of the metro node, the PostDoc candidate will design and implement the required opto-electronic interfaces and controller boards to support programmability of the optical technologies developed in the project. In coordination with the software-defined networking (SDN) control plane, the optical nodes need to be able to adapt dynamically to the needs of specific services, optimally exploiting the data plane through the use of relevant data monitoring and analysis schemes developed within the project.

The PostDoc candidate will contribute to the TU/e efforts in establishing collaboration with the other researchers in the project and contribute to the related project reporting, scientific publication and dissemination activities.

Candidate profile (essential)

Candidates for this position should have a PhD degree in Optical Communication or a related field

Solid knowledge of optical fiber communications and communication systems, optical and electronic laboratory measurement equipment, optical fiber systems and components, semiconductor devices, and electronic circuits.

Solid skills in one or two programming languages e.g. OPNET, OMNET, and VHDL, Verilog HDL FPGA programming

Proven team-working capabilities and communication skills

Willingness to start as soon as possible

Candidate profile (desirable)

Familiar with software simulation tools for optical fiber communications

Knowledge of SDN/VNF is an asset

Knowledge of photonic devices and circuits / integration technologies is appreciated.

We offer an exciting job in the Electro-Optical Communication Group of the Eindhoven University of Technology:

A full time appointment for at least 2 years at Eindhoven University of Technology www.tue.nl/en/

Gross monthly salaries and conditions are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO NU), scale 10, depending on your experience.

More information on employment conditions can be found here: www.tue.nl/en/university/working-at-tue/working-conditions/

Interesting cooperation with the high-tech industry in- and outside The Netherlands.

An attractive package of benefits, including end-of-year allowance. As an employee of the university you will receive a competitive salary as well as excellent employment conditions (including 30% tax rule). 

The university offers an attractive package of fringe benefits such as excellent technical infrastructure, child care, savings schemes, and excellent sports facilities.     

More information on employment conditions can be found here: employment conditions .