Agents, Interactions & Complexity

Location:  Highfield Campus
Salary:   £31,406 to £35,326 per annum
Full Time Fixed Term for 12 months
Closing Date:  Thursday 21 October 2021
Interview Date:   To be confirmed
Reference:  1513521FP

How will smarter transport systems be more sustainable? 

How can tomorrow’s public transport systems beat private cars on cost, convenience and comfort?

How can connected transport systems respond to demand, in real time?

How should a trustworthy Internet of Vehicles behave?

How does human health, wellbeing and performance factor into the design of future semi-autonomous to autonomous transportation systems?

The AutoTrust project is exploring all these questions, and more;  and we are inviting you to join our team. This is a flexible research post, and you will have the opportunity to develop a personal research project along these themes within the scope of the AutoTrust project.

The AutoTrust project – a collaboration between the University of Southampton and the University of Warwick - is researching how to design, build, and sustain trustworthy, healthful human-centric smart transport systems that leverage advances in technologies such as connected and autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things.

You will work with the AutoTrust group at Southampton to advance our knowledge of how to design and engineer a human-centric Internet of Vehicles. An outcome of AutoTrust is to have real impacts that help both industry and policymakers to see how they can support a human-centered future of effective transportation across the connected Internet of Vehicles. In your interview, we will be keen to hear what groups you would like to connect your project with, and your ideas for meetings/events to facilitate building those connections.

The AutoTrust project aims to develop future “super researchers” and so you will be working in an interdisciplinary team, and encouraged to engage with other academics, industry, and policy makers. The project provides training and development opportunities to help you develop relevant skills and build your own research network.

To be successful you will have a PhD** or equivalent professional qualifications and experience in computer science, human computer interaction, simulation modelling, transportation or similar and be able to articulate your research interests against your chosen theme and, tell us how they relate to the aims of the AutoTrust project, and explain why it would be an important and timely contribution.  AutoTrust is an interdisciplinary project, and evidence of working across disciplines, and an appreciation of the value different perspectives bring to research, would be welcome.

If invited to interview, you will be expected to briefly present a research proposal in line with the AutoTrust project aims and objectives and answer questions about it. You can find examples of current and previous AutoTrust projects on our website, at https://autotrust.org.uk/projects/

Equality, diversity and Inclusion is central to the ethos in the School of Electronics and Computer Science. We particularly encourage women, Black, Asian and minority ethnic, LGBT and disabled applicants to apply for this position. We are commited to improving equality for women in science and have been successful in achieving an  Athena SWAN bronze award in April 2020.   We give full consideration to applicants that wish to work flexibly including part-time and due consideration will be given to applicants who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy*, onsite childcare facilities. 

The University of Southampton is in the top 1% of world universities and in the top 10 of the UK’s research-intensive universities. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and being a globally responsible university and has recently been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.  Our vision is to embed the principles of sustainability into all aspects of our individual and collective work, integrating sustainable development into our business planning, policy-making, and professional activities.  This commits all of our staff and students to take responsibility for managing their activities to minimise harm to the environment, whether this through switching off non-essential electrical equipment or using the recycling facilities.

 *subject to qualifying criteria

**Applications for Research Fellow positions will be considered from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification. The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon successful completion of the PhD. Prior to the qualification being awarded, the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.

We would be pleased to discuss potential research directions prior to application, and if you wish to do so, you should contact Dr Richard Gomer, r.gomer@soton.ac.uk 

More information about our research can be found on the project website at https://autotrust.org.uk/

You should submit your completed online application form at https://jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need any assistance, please call Marina Radchenko (Recruitment Team) on +44 (0) 23 8059 2750, or email recruitment@soton.ac.uk. Please quote reference 1513521FP on all correspondence.