PhD Student or Postdoc (f/m/d) “Quality of Service and Quality of Experience in Audiovisual Communication via Social eXtended Reality (XR)”

At the Audiovisual Technology Group, Institute for Media Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ilmenau Interactive Immersive Technologies Center, we are looking to hire a full-time

PhD Student or Postdoc (f/m/d)

“Quality of Service and Quality of Experience in Audiovisual

Communication via Social eXtended Reality (XR)”

for an initial period of 1,5 – 2 years (depending on start), with possibility for extension.

The Audiovisual Technology Group at the Institute of Media Technology is a growing international, interdisciplinary university research team working on topics related to auditory, visual and audiovisual technology and perception, AR/VR/MR, multimedia networks, Quality of Experience and HCI. The AVT group is also part of the newly established I3TC (Ilmenau Interactive Immersive Technologies Center, www.tu-ilmenau.de/i3tc). Our research ranges from basic research on multimedia and AR/VR/MR/XR technologies, network engineering and human perception and experience to applied research in collaboration with industry partners.
The position is part of publicly funded projects with partners from academia and industry. In the considered Social XR (eXtended Reality) services, conversation participants are represented as volumetric visual information. Different types of displays will be used in this context, ranging from classical screens,head-mounted displays (HMDs) to holographic displays. Moreover, spatial audio may be used with communication partners or conference participants represented in an audiovisual Mixed Reality (MR) environment. In this context, the Audiovisual Technology Group at TU Ilmenau, together with other partners from academia and industry, are developing concepts for measuring Quality of Service, Quality of Experience and User Experience for Social XR communication.

Your tasks

In your research, you will investigate user perception of Social XR communication over current and future networks. For this purpose, you will conduct a series of user studies and investigate human experience based on usage data, network parameters, and multimedia signals. These data will help to develop first concepts for an automated monitoring of the quality of such future Social XR media applications, together with the project partners. Considering its research character, the project work is sought to form part of your possible PhD thesis.

Your profile

For being part of the selection process is needed:

• Completed academic university studies (Master/ Diploma) in one of the fields of media technology or corresponding engineering or natural science subjects, such as computer science, neuroinformatics, computational linguistics, human-computer interaction, or physics.
• Practical experience in one or preferably more of the following fields: audio/video/multimedia technology, telecommunications/network technology, digital audio or video signal processing, speech communication, statistical analysis methods, conducting/evaluating empirical studies.
• Very good knowledge in at least one of the languages or tools: Python/C/C++/R/Unity/Unreal Engine.
• Knowledge in areas such as pattern recognition, machine learning or modeling of perception and/or cognition is a plus.
• Very good knowledge of English and German in writing and communication.

Following competences are desirable:

• Interest in interdisciplinary topics at the interface between technology and humans.
• Very good communication skills, commitment, enthusiasm, ability to work independently, as well as initiative and ability to work in a team.

What we offer you:

• attractive remuneration according to collective agreement (as per TV-L) incl. granting of a special annual payment
• vacation entitlement of 30 days in the calendar year and additional days off on 24 / 31 December.
• flexible working time model
• VBL – pension scheme in the public sector

From individual advancement with a wide range of continuing education opportunities to a variety of health and recreational offerings, you can expect an appreciative working environment at a renowned university at TU Ilmenau. In addition to an attractive, family friendly working hour’s model, you will also benefit from advantages such as the use of the dining halls of the Studentenwerk Thüringen, as well as participation in several attractive sport offers from the university owned sport centrum.