Job description

• The Hearing Technology lab @ WAVES led by Prof. Verhulst (Department of Information Technology) follows an interdisciplinary approach to develop models of auditory signal processing that can be used in hearing diagnostics and machine-hearing technologies. The group has access to GPU computing clusters, as well as psychoacoustics and auditory EEG measurement setups (waves.intec.ugent.be/hearing-technology, GitHub/hearing-technology, @HearingTechLab). The lab routinely collaborates with other research groups within the department, as well as with UZ Gent via the Ghent Auditory Science Platform (gasp.ugent.be). International visits and research exchange is possible within the framework of this project. The research group conducts basic research into the neuroscientific basis of hearing (FWO, ERC research projects) but also strives to introduce the developed hearing technologies to patients and the market through innovation projects.
  
  We are currently looking for a PhD researcher in the field of modeling the auditory system. In this interdisciplinary project, you will develop the signal processing modules of an auditory model based on EEG, physiology, speech and psychoacoustic data that was previously conducted in a large group of test subjects with hearing impairment or tinnitus and in laboratory animals. The techniques you will use are non-linear signal processing, data science and machine learning. After building the auditory model, you will use it for hearing diagnostic purposes and to investigate personalized signal processing.
  
  At least 90% of your assignment will be spent on academic research in preparation of a doctoral dissertation.
• You disseminate your research results in scientific articles, but also via open-source code packages and website demonstrators.
• You will also maintain contacts with the researchers who provide the data from several ongoing international research collaborations the lab maintains.
• You will spend up to 10% of your assignment on tasks related to support of the research group: educational support, lab maintenance, supervision of M.Sc. projects.
  
  

You will receive a PhD grant for 4 years, with an evaluation after the first year (1+3 contract).

Job profile

• You have a master's degree in engineering (information technology, acoustics, biomedical, electrical engineering, computer science), physics, data science or computer science.
• You are strong in signal processing (Python, Matlab) and data science, and you have at least an initial experience with machine learning techniques (Keras, Python).
• You have a strong interest in the auditory field: hearing mechanisms, hearing damage, hearing technologies, and you can quickly familiarize yourself with this subject. A basic understanding of neuroscience (e.g., Hodgkin-Huxley models) is a plus.
• You are strong in organizing large datasets and are precise in documenting your scripts.
• Strong written and oral English skills are required, you can explain your work well to others, and you work well together in a team.

How to apply

Please send the following documents in PDF format to Judith Pollet (judith.pollet@ugent.be):

• Your CV;
• your application letter, this should include names and contact information of two people willing to provide a reference;
• your diploma and an overview of your B.Sc. and M.Sc. study results. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
  
  

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Verhulst (s.verhulst@ugent.be) with “PhD auditory modelling” in the topic title of your email.