[Hol-info] PhD Positions in the Embedded System Unit of Fondazione Bruno Kessler

[Marco R. <ro...@fb...>]

         [[[ Apologies for multiple copies of this message ]]]

                 Doctoral Student Positions Available

             Design and Verification of Embedded Software

                    Embedded System Research Unit
                      Fondazione Bruno Kessler
 (formerly part of IRST - Centro per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica)
                           Trento, Italy

        Deadlines:  Dec. 15, 2007

The Embedded System Research Unit (http://es.fbk.eu) of the Bruno
Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy, is seeking several candidates for Ph.D
positions.

The Ph.D. studies will be held at the International Doctorate School
in Information and Communication Technologies
(http://www.ict.unitn.it/) of the University of Trento, Italy.

The research activity will be carried out within the Embedded Systems
Unit of the Center for Scientific and Technological Research of the
Fondazione Bruno Kessler.

The research activity will aim at techniques, methodologies and support
tools for the design and verification of embedded systems. In
particular, possible topics will include:

- Embedded Software Design and Verification
- Formal Requirements Analysis
- Design and Verification of Hybrid and Timed systems

The selected candidates will be initially enrolled in a stage and, if
they pass the selection of the Ph.D. school, they will be enrolled as
Ph.D. students. Ph.D. courses will start in Autumn 2008, and the
thesis must be completed in three or four years. People enrolled in a
stage and subsequent Ph.D. courses are expected to move to Trento, and
will receive monetary support during both phases of their activity.

Candidate Profile
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The ideal candidate should have an MS or equivalent degree in computer
science, mathematics or electronic engineering, and combine solid
theoretical background and software development skills.

The candidate should be able to work in a collaborative environment,
with a strong commitment to reaching research excellence and achieving
assigned objectives.

Background knowledge and/or previous experience in the following
areas, though not mandatory, will be considered favorably:
- Symbolic Model Checking,
- Propositional Satisfiability,
- Satisfiability Modulo Theory,
- Constraint Solving and Optimization,
- Formal Requirements Analysis,
- Software Verification,
- Software Synthesis,
- Embedded System Design Languages (e.g. Verilog, VHDL, System C, and
  System Verilog),
- Safety Analysis (FTA, FMEA).

Applications and Inquiries
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Interested candidates should inquire for further information and/or
apply by sending email to <jobs[at]fbk[dot]eu>.

Applications should contain a statement of interest, with a Curriculum
Vitae, and three reference persons. PDF format is strongly encouraged.

Emails will be automatically processed and should have

       'RIF: ES/phd'

as subject.

The Embedded System Research Unit
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The Embedded Systems Unit consists of about 15 persons, including
researchers, post-Doc, Ph.D. students, and programmers. The
Unit carries out research, tool development and technology transfer in
the fields of design and verification of embedded systems.

Current research directions include:

* Satisfiability Modulo Theory, and its application to the
  verification of hardware, embedded critical software, and hybrid
  systems (Verilog, SystemC, C/C++, StateFlow/Simulink)

* Formal Requirements Analysis based on techniques for temporal logics
  (consistency checking, vacuity detection, input determinism,
  cause-effect analysis, realizability and synthesis)

* Formal Safety Analysis, based on the integration of traditional
  techniques (e.g. Fault-tree analysis, FMEA) with symbolic
  verification techniques.

The unit develops and maintains several tools:

* the NuSMV symbolic model checker (http://nusmv.fbk.eu)

* the MathSAT SMT solver (http://mathsat.fbk.eu)

* the Formal Safety Analysis Platform FSAP (http://fsap.fbk.eu)

* the Requirements Analysis Tool RAT (http://rat.fbk.eu)

The unit is currently involved in several research projects, funded by
the European Union (FP VI and FP VII), the European Space Agency, the
European Railway Agency, as well as in industrial technology transfer
projects. The projects aim at applying research results to key
application domains such as space, avionics, railways, hardware design
and mobile embedded applications.

The Embedded Systems Unit is part of Fondazione Bruno Kessler,
formerly Istituto Trentino di Cultura, a public research institute of
the Autonomous Province of Trento (Italy), founded in 1976. The
institute, through its center for the scientific and technological
research, is active in the areas of Information Technology,
Microsystems, and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces and
Interfaces. Today, FBK is an internationally recognized research
institute, collaborating with industries, universities, and public and
private laboratories in Italy and abroad. The institute's applied and
basic research activities aim at resolving real-world problems, driven
by the need for technological innovation in society and industry.

Location
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Trento is a lively town of about 100.000 inhabitants, located 130 km
south of the border between Italy and Austria. It is well known for
the beauty of its mountains and lakes, and it offers the possibility
to practice a wide range of sports. Trento enjoys a rich cultural and
historical heritage, and it is the ideal starting point for day trips
to famous towns such as Venice or Verona, as well as to enjoy great
naturalistic journeys. Detailed information about Trento and its
region can be found at http://www.trentino.to/home/index.html?_lang=3Den.

Contact Person
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* Alessandro Cimatti
  mailto: <cimatti[at]fbk[dot]eu>
  http://es.fbk.eu/people/cimatti