The Distributed and Interactive Systems research group focuses on modeling and controlling complex collections of media objects (including real-time media and sensor data) that are interactive and distributed in time and space. The research group focuses on facilitating and improving the way people use interactive systems and how people communicate with each other, by combining data science with a strong human-centric, empirical approach to understand the experience of users. This enables the group to design and develop next generation intelligent and empathic systems.

Job description
The Distributed and Interactive Systems group (https://www.dis.cwi.nl/) is looking for an accomplished researcher at the intersection of multimedia systems and human-computer interaction. This candidate would strengthen existing research lines and establish new ones in the broad themes of Computation and Multi-Disciplinary Artificial Intelligence (AI), in research areas such as human-computer interaction (HCI), multimedia systems, Quality of Experience (QoE) modeling and prediction, and immersive and interactive experiences. The research can be applied to several domains from cultural heritage to healthcare to the creative industries.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• User-Centric Multimedia Systems: understanding, monitoring, and prediction of the quality of volumetric media signals, which undergo various kinds of processing, such as lossy compression and streaming;
• User behavior understanding: modeling user experience, behavior, and navigation patterns in highly immersive media environments (including AR and VR);
• Next generation internet: configurable, latency-0, network infrastructures that allow high-bandwidth demanding interactive services;
• Media experience optimization engines: systems-focused research on the provision of an intelligent engine which aims at optimizing the experience of users (and groups) consuming media content and/or communicating.

During the tenure period, the researcher is expected to publish high impact articles in top venues like ACM Multimedia, IEEEVR, ACM CHI, IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, obtain funding, and supervise students and junior researchers. The candidate is expected to embrace the multi-disciplinary nature of the group, in close collaboration with other fields of expertise such as psychology and sociology and interaction design, and to follow an experimental research approach. The candidate will be expected to participate in securing funding for new areas and participate in standardization bodies, when appropriate.

The successful candidate will have an excellent track record of innovative research and publications in leading international journals and conference proceedings from either the Multimedia or the HCI communities. The candidate has the potential to acquire personal research grants such as VENI/VIDI/VICI (NWO) or ERC grants (EU), as well as to acquire external funding for applied research (e.g. from NWO, STW, EU, top sectors or industry). Moreover, they should have post-doctoral experience (PhD in a field relevant for the position), and excellent communication skills.

CWI expects its tenured researchers to speak Dutch at the end of the tenure track. Most of the research collaboration within the group takes place in English.

Fixed-term contract: 3 or 5 years.

The position is for three or five years depending on knowledge and experience. At the end of a successful tenure track term a permanent scientific staff position will be offered. Criteria for evaluation comprise a track record of publications that is well above average, and the ability to acquire funding and to build up an (inter)national network and reputation.

The terms of employment are in accordance with the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres ("CAO-onderzoeksinstellingen"). Depending on relevant work experience, the gross monthly starting salary for an employee on a full time basis ranges from €3778,- to €5907. Employees are also entitled to a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8,33%.

CWI offers attractive working conditions, including flexible scheduling.

Please visit our website for more information about our terms of employment: www.cwi.nl/terms-of-employment

Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI)

Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) is the Dutch national research institute for mathematics and computer science and is part of the Institutes Organisation of NWO. The mission of CWI is to conduct pioneering research in mathematics and computer science, generating new knowledge in these fields and conveying it to trade, industry, and society at large.

CWI is an internationally oriented institute, with 160 scientists from approximately 27 countries. The facilities are first-rate and include excellent IT support, career planning, training, and courses.

CWI encourages a diverse workforce: we endeavour to develop talent and creativity by bringing people from different backgrounds and cultures together. We recruit and select based on capabilities and talent.
We strongly encourage everyone with the appropriate qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities.

CWI is located at Science Park Amsterdam that is presently developing into a major location of research in the natural sciences in the Netherlands, housing the sciences of the University of Amsterdam and of the Vrije Universiteit as well as several other national research institutes next to CWI.

Research group: Distributed and Interactive Systems

Future multimedia systems will be intelligent and empathic, capable of understanding the user and the environment. Extending techniques from distributed networking and contextual modeling, the DIS group adapts and extends traditional research on multimedia systems from this new perspective. Our research questions not only address how fast bits are delivered, but also how well they are utilized. We combine data science with a strong human-centric, empirical approach. This results in a full-stack methodology that enables us to bridge socio-technical gaps in society and science, by instrumenting the appropriate infrastructures and communication protocols using realistic testing grounds. The group enjoys a number of fruitful partnerships with companies and organizations in the areas of creative industries and smart cities.