Research Fellow in Computer Science (SM4077-18-336)

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic researcher to work on the Accessible Reasoning with Diagrams project, reporting to Dr Gem Stapleton. The project runs jointly with Dr Mateja Jamnik at the University of Cambridge and is funded by the Leverhulme Trust. The project began on September 1, 2016 and ends on August 31, 2019. This post is for the final 12 months of the project.

Given the nature of the research, the successful applicant must have experience in designing, executing and analysing the data from empirical studies involving human participants. It is also essential that they have a background in at least one of: diagrammatic reasoning, ontology engineering, logic, information visualization, cognitive science. 

A PhD or equivalent research experience in a relevant subject is essential.

The project’s hypothesis is that it is possible to devise an accessible diagrammatic logic for modelling and reasoning in diverse domains. The project’s objectives are as follows:

O1. develop case studies to identify core modelling and reasoning problems

O2. qualitatively identify effective diagrammatic representations

O3. design an accessible diagrammatic logic for modelling and visual reasoning

O4. develop empirically informed layout algorithms for diagrams

O5. implement a reasoning system for our diagrammatic representations

O6. test and empirically evaluate the accessibility of our system

You will be expected to make significant contributions to objectives O2 and O4 (led by Brighton), as well as O6 (joint with Cambridge), adopting the methodology outlined in the proposal. 

A major part of the Brighton side of the project is the collection of data from human participants so you must be prepared to spend a significant proportion of time undertaking this aspect of the research. You must be prepared to work on an interdisciplinary project and to broaden your existing knowledge in order to contribute appropriately to the project’s objectives.

You must be prepared to travel frequently between Brighton and Cambridge for group meetings for which overnight trips are envisaged (funded by the grant). You will be expected to collaborate with the members of the project team and the project’s advisory board members. Given this, strong team working and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to meet deadlines. You will also travel to international conferences to present research results, contribute to the organising of workshops and to deliver tutorials on the project’s results (funded by the grant). Part of the role will require them to collaboratively write papers for publication and to prepare tutorial material that allows practitioners to take up the project’s results.

The role is available from 1 September 2018 and candidates must be available to start on that date. Informal enquiries may be directed to Dr Gem Stapleton: g.e.stapleton@brighton.ac.uk.

Please ensure you upload your curriculum vitae (maximum two pages); a description (maximum 1 page) of the research project of which you are most proud and your contribution to it; and a cover letter with your earliest possible starting date.

Closing Date: 15 Jul 2018
Category: Academic