Usual apologies to anyone receiving multiple posts.
Nick Gotts

Computing Science
University of Aberdeen

Research Positions in Semantic Grid Technologies

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Postgraduate Research Assistants/PhD Studentships (2)

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 14th December 2005


Three vacancies are available immediately within the PolicyGrid project 
(http://www.policygrid.org) - one of the ESRC  National Centre for 
eSocial Science (http://www.ncess.org) research nodes, located at the 
University of Aberdeen.  The Node brings computer scientists and social 
scientists together to focus on the challenges of using Semantic Grid 
technologies to enable more powerful analysis of mixed-method data (e.g. 
surveys and interviews, case studies, simulations) thus adding 
significant value to the work of social scientists engaged in the 
analysis of evidence bases for policy development and evaluation.  It 
expands upon the work of  an earlier ESRC-funded pilot demonstrator 
project at Aberdeen (Fearlus-G 
http://www.csd.abdn.ac.uk/research/fearg/). Node activities will include 
new methods for querying and presenting results from Semantic Web 
resources, methods for metadata creation, techniques for creation of 
evidence structures from heterogeneous Grid services, workflow tools, 
and explicit characterisations of agent-based simulations.

Research Fellow

This postdoctoral position is being offered on a full-time basis for 36 
months. The post holder will focus on development of ontology support 
for annotation of social simulation models, together with a toolset to 
facilitate design, execution, analysis and interpretation of simulation 
experiments. You will also be engaged in other ontology authoring 
activities (as required) and will be expected to contribute to the 
research agenda for the Node. The work will entail extensive 
collaboration with land-use modelling experts at the Macaulay Institute 
and other members of the social simulation community. You will also be 
encouraged to play an active role as a member of the PolicyGrid team and 
the wider e-science group within Aberdeen Computing Science. In 
addition, your role will involve liaison with the National Centre for 
eSocial Science (NCeSS) located at the University of Manchester.

You should have a PhD in Computer Science or a related discipline. You 
are expected to be a highly competent programmer in Java, and have 
experience of Semantic Web technologies (including OWL and RDF), 
Web/Grid services, e-science, and related areas. Knowledge of workflow 
approaches in e-science would be desirable. Prior knowledge in the 
agent-based simulation area is not essential, but would be an asset. The 
work will involve conceptual/theoretical work, and also implementation 
of demonstrable system software.

Salary will be at an appropriate point on the Research 1A Salary Scale 
(£20,044 - £26,470 per annum) with placement according to qualifications 
and experience.

Research Assistants

Two postgraduate research assistant positions are offered on a part time 
(50% FTE) basis for 36 months; they will focus on two workpackages: 
"Integrated Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis for Policy 
Development & Appraisal" and "Facilitating Access for Policy-Makers: A 
Natural Language Approach to Query Formulation and Information 
Presentation". If appointed, it is a condition that you will be required 
to undertake postgraduate research leading to an MPhil/PhD degree, in an 
area related to the research activities of the PolicyGrid Node.

For both posts you should have an excellent Honours degree in Computer 
Science or a related discipline, and preferably an MSc. You are 
expected to be a competent programmer in Java, and have 
knowledge/experience of distributed information management (including 
ontologies). Prior knowledge in the area of social science is not 
essential, but would be an asset. Both posts will involve 
conceptual/theoretical work, and also implementation of demonstrable 
system software.

For the "Integrated Data Analysis" post you should ideally have 
knowledge and experience of Web/Grid services and e-science; for the 
post assigned to the "Natural Language" workpackage it would be 
desirable for you to have knowledge and experience of natural language 
processing/generation and user-interface design.

Salaries will be at an appropriate point on the RA1B Research salary 
scale (£20,044 - £22,289 pro rata per annum) with placement according to 
qualifications and experience.


Informal and confidential enquiries should be directed to:

Dr Peter Edwards
PolicyGrid Node Director
email: [log in to unmask] 
tel: + 44 (0)1224 272052

Application forms and further information are available at: 
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs 


Nicholas M. Gotts
The Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen AB15 8QH
Scotland, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1224 498200 ext. 2229
Fax: +44 (0)1224 311556
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/fearlus