Application Deadline: 15 January 2020
DRIVE-In is an EU-funded European Industrial Doctorate Innovative Training Network involving the University of Vigo (Spain) as the Academic Partner, and VPIphotonics GmbH (Germany) as Industrial Partner. The title is: Integrated Photonics for the next generation of autonomous Vehicles using InP technologies.
Available Positions:
DRIVE-In seeks to appoint four highly motivated early-stage researchers on a 36-month PhD programme starting 1 April 2019. Each researcher will have a Industrial Supervisor from VPIphotonics and an Academic Supervisor from Vigo´s Doc_TIC PhD program.
3 position(s) available at Universidad de Vigo, Spain (Vigo) / 1 position(s) available at VPI Photonics GmbH, Germany (Berlin)
Project Aim:
The DRIVE-In project aims to provide cutting-edge training to young researchers in the emerging field of integrated photonics, fostering its application in the automotive industry through the development of novel generic Indium-Phosphide (InP) Process Design Kits (PDKs) as well as the creation of disruptive simulation tools and modelling procedures for use in optoelectronic (combined integrated photonics and microelectronics) systems. Together the ESRs will combine academic research and industrial knowledge to overcome specific challenges of the integrated photonics sector, related to hybridisation of integrated photonics and microelectronics, increasing Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) complexity, availability of PIC design tools, need for high-performance Free Space Optic (FSO) devices and need for software simulation and fast-generation layout models. DRIVE-In is implemented through secondments of the ESRs between both the academic and industrial participants
DRIVE-In will train the four ESRs at two beneficiaries: University of Vigo, a leading European academic institution – and at VPI Photonics, an innovative company for simulation software and design services; as well as at three partners: Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute, a leading European academic institution – and at Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia (CTAG) and Bright Photonics, both innovative companies in the fields of automotive technology and integrated photonics design and consultancy.
During this stay, each of them will participate in 4 different high-level integrated photonics’ research projects. These projects are: to develop compact models and simulation methods for hybrid photonic/electronic systems; to validate those compact models and to fabricate test structures; to develop a software tool for electronics/photonics simulation and to design advanced PICs for testing applications in the automotive sector and in other relevant industrial sectors.
Secondment Schedule: All four researchers will begin their projects at the University of Vigo in April 2020. After a 3 months training in physics and photonics, they will be transferred to several secondments both in Academic and non-Academic sectors. All the ESRs will spend between one and one and a half years in the University of Vigo and one year in VPIphotonics, where her/his main duties will take place under the Industrial Supervisor guidance. In between, they will spend up to twelve months in state-of-the-art industrial companies Bright Photonics, CTAG and in HHI Fraunhofer.
During this three-years period, they will also receive intensive training with courses on integrated photonics, devices and circuit simulation. This training/research scheme covers the whole value chain, from research and design to manufacturing, thereby forming a strong interdisciplinary network between technical sciences and industry to overcome specific barriers in the integrated photonics sector.
A career development plan will be prepared for each fellow in accordance with his/her supervisors and will include training, planned secondments and outreach activities in partner laboratories of the network. The ESR fellows are supposed to complete their PhD thesis by the end of the 3rd year of their employment.
The selected candidates will be employed with a fulltime contract either by the University of Vigo (3 ESRs) or by VPIphotonics (1 ESR).
The salary follows the Marie Curie-Skłodowska ITN funding Scheme. On top of the regular compensation, an extra allowance will be available to cover mobility expenses. The living allowance will be subject to a country correction coefficient, according to the hosting country (Spain or Germany). Applicants may also be eligible for a family allowance. Therefore, the exact gross salary will be confirmed upon appointment.
Eligibility criteria
Researchers must be early-stage researchers (ESR), i.e. at the date of recruitment (ITN) or at the date of recruitment be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.
Full-time equivalent research experience' is measured from the date when the researcher obtained the degree entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited or seconded) – even if a doctorate was never started or envisaged.
Researchers may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
Application requirements:
Applicants should provide an up-to-date CV, letter of motivation, and the names and contact details of two referees who are qualified to comment on your scientific track record and expertise. Send the documents needed for your application to: fjdiaz@com.uvigo.es; braulio.gomez.saavedra@vpiphotonics.com
Applicants should be available to start their EDIFY position in April 2020.
Informal enquiries should be directed to the project coordinator, Dr Francisco Javier Diaz-Otero, EI Telecomunicacion, University of Vigo, email: fjdiaz@com.uvigo.es