Postdoctoral Researcher in the Performance Engineering Lab (2 Posts)

The Performance Engineering Laboratory (PEL) at DCU is a research group which aims at developing performance-based solutions for next generation information and communication technology (ICT) systems. The research carried out in this lab combines engineering research in the areas of Mobile and W ireless Communications, Quality-aware Multimedia Delivery, Adaptive E-learning and Energy-aware Networking. These all reflect the synergy between electronics, informatics and software engineering in the development of ICT in the 21st century. Researchers from different cultural backgrounds, including: Ireland, Romania, China, Brazil and Bosnia and Herzegovina, are working together and sharing their valuable expertise with each other and industry partners. PEL at DCU has various collaborations with major multinational companies such as Ericsson, IBM, Microsoft, Samsung, and Disney Research and with Irish SMEs such as Citadel 100, Everseen, Openmind Networks and Wowfli. The alumnus of this lab have top research, development or management positions worldwide including Ireland, UK, Korea, China, India and Vietnam.

The Project
NEWTON is a large scale European-funded international project which involves 14 partners from
7 countries. NEW TON will develop, integrate and disseminate innovative technology-enhanced learning (TEL) methods and tools, to create new or inter-connect existing state-of-the art teaching labs and to build a pan-European learning network platform that supports fast dissemination of learning content to a wide audience in a ubiquitous manner. NEWTON focuses on employing novel technologies in order to increase learner quality of experience, improve learning process and increase learning outcome. The

NEWTON project goals are to:
* Develop and deploy a set of new TEL mechanisms involving multi-modal and multi-
sensorial media distribution
* Develop, integrate, deploy and disseminate state of the art technology-enhanced teaching methodologies including augmented reality, gamification and self -directed
* Learning addressed to users from secondary and vocational schools, third level and further education, including students with physical disabilities
* Build a large platform that links all stakeholders in education, enables content reuse, supports generation of new content, increases content exchange in diverse forms, develops and disseminates new teaching scenarios, and encourages new innovative businesses
* Perform personalisation and adaptation for content, delivery and presentation in order to increase learner quality of experience and to improve learning process
* Validate the platform impact and the effectiveness of the teaching scenarios in terms of user satisfaction, improvement of the learning and teaching experience, etc. and the
* Underlying technology through an European-wide real-life pilot

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
The primary focus of the Postdoctoral Researcher (PDR) will be performing research on the EU- funded project NEW TON; however PDR’s activity will be broader and the PDR is expected to:
• Conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of the
Principal Investigator
• Engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the Principal Investigator, School or University in order to develop research skills and competencies
• Gain experience and contribute to grant writing with the support of and under the supervision of the Principal Investigator
• Engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which they are engaged, as directed by, with the support of and under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.
• Acquire generic and transferable skills (including project management, business skills and postgraduate mentoring/supervision)
• Engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group, School or
University
• Interact closely with postgraduate research students associated with the same research group and possibly have an agreed role in supporting these students in their day to day research in conjunction with an academic supervisor
• Take leadership and contribute to generation of papers, reports and funding proposals.
• Actively publish research findings in high impact journals and at key conferences as part of the research group effort to disseminate research outputs
• Carry out administrative work to support the programme of research where required, including regular funding agency reports and internal reports etc…
• Carry out additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post
• Contribute to costing research grant proposals and assist in the financial m anagement of a research project
• Support collaboration with industry in areas relevant to the research group
• Liaise with different DCU units such as STEP, RIS, Finance, Registry in aspects related to the research activities performed
• Contribute to broader outreach and engagement activities such as organising technical meetings, outreach to schools and other interested parties etc.