Research Centre: Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics
Level on Framework:  Level 1
Post Duration: Fixed-Term Contract up to 31st Dec 2022

As part of this role the researcher will be required to participate in the DCU Research Career Framework. This framework is designed to provide significant professional development opportunities to Researchers and offer the best opportunities in terms of a wider career path. The role may include teaching duties to assist with module delivery.

Background

Dublin City University (www.dcu.ie) is a research intensive, globally engaged, dynamic institution which has developed its own research specialists, established internationally recognized centres of excellence that have substantive collaborative links with leading universities and industrial partners. DCU is distinguished both by the quality and impact of its graduates and by its focus on the translation of knowledge into societal and economic benefit. Through its mission to transform lives and societies through education, research and innovation DCU acts as an agent of social, cultural and economic progress. DCU is Ireland’s fastest growing university and now hosts more than 17,000 students across its three academic campuses: DCU Glasnevin Campus, DCU St Patrick’s Campus and CU All hallows campus. DCU has a strong track record in attracting both Irish and European Union research funding under Horizon 2020 (and all previous Framework Programmes), Marie Curie Actions and Erasmus. We offer a dynamic and internationally-focused environment in which to advance your academic career.

The Insight Centre for Data Analytics (http://www.Insight-centre.org) is an SFI funded Research Centre which brings together researchers from University College Dublin, NUI Galway, University College Cork, and Dublin City University, as well as other partner institutions, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University of Limerick (UL), National University of Ireland, Maynooth University (MU) and Tyndall National Institute. It creates a critical mass of more than 400 researchers from Ireland's leading ICT clusters to carry out research on a new generation of data analytics technologies in a number of key application domain areas, such as Health and Human Performance, Smart Communities, Internet of Things, Enterprise and Services and Sustainability and Operations.

The €150m Centre is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and a wide range of industry and European Union partners. Insight's research focus encompasses a broad range of data analytics technologies from machine learning, conclusion analytics and social network analysis to linked data, recommender systems and the sensor web. Together, with more than 220 partner companies, Insight researchers are solving critical challenges in the areas of Connected Health and the Discovery Economy.

The Project

The project proposed is collaborative between Data and Analytics Research Centre based in DCU and the Centre of Excellence for Data and Analytics within AIB, based in Dublin. The project is intended to be initially exploratory in nature assessing research questions of mutual interest to the collaborative parties and successful candidate such that the outcome solves real life problems. The aim of the project is to design and build a solution to a Data and Analytics problem leading to its practical application.

The research questions themselves will be agreed between both parties and led by the researcher so that the work is both publishable and practically applied immediately post design.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Specific duties of this post include but are not limited to:

• Conduct a programme of research into data quality assessments, automation of due diligence checks in the context of banking and the evolutionary challenges surrounding COVID-19 from a retail banking perspective. The successful candidate will be given substantial freedom to co-design a specific research programme within the scope of the above.
• Provide assistance and advice to PhD students working on similar topics.
• Assist the Principal Investigators (PIs) in overseeing software and system development for various projects.
• Produce top quality journal and conference publications, in partnership with the PIs.
• Participate in Insight Centre activities, including industry showcases, annual reviews and industry and agency visits to the Insight labs.
• Carry out administrative work associated with the programme of research as necessary
• Other tasks relevant to successfully implementing the assigned research programme.

Minimum Criteria

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Statistics, Mathematics or a related discipline with strong software and programming skills and relevant experience in mathematical and analytical thinking.

In addition, it is desirable that the candidate has a subset of the following skills:

• Excellent written and oral proficiency in English (essential).
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to prioritize workload and work to strict deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team and to take responsibility to contribute to the overall success of the team.
• Strong problem solving abilities.

Mandatory Training

The post holder will be required to undertake the following mandatory compliance training: Orientation, Health and Safety and Intellectual Property and Data Protection training. Other training may need to be undertaken when required.

Candidates will be assessed on the following competencies:

Discipline knowledge and Research skills – Demonstrates knowledge of a research discipline and the ability to conduct a specific programme of research within that discipline.

Understanding the Research Environment – Demonstrates an awareness of the research environment (for example funding bodies) and the ability to contribute to grant applications.

Communicating Research – Demonstrates the ability to convey their research with their peers and the wider research community (for example presenting at conferences and publishing research in relevant journals) and the potential to teach and tutor students.

Managing & Leadership skills - Demonstrates the potential to manage a research project including the supervision of undergraduate students.