Tenure track position in Computer Engineering, 2-3 positions

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our university community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. www.tuni.fi/en

We are now seeking 2-3 assistant, associate, or full professors for a broad sense of System-on-Chip (SoC) design and HW/SW implementation technologies for High-Performance Computing (HPC). The positions are placed in the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences at Tampere University  in the Unit of Computing Sciences (CS). The CS unit covers the full range of IT research and education areas: Human Technology Interaction, SW engineering, Mathematics, Data Science, Signal Processing, Computer Engineering and Network and Information Security, including 46 professors and over 400 staff members. The new positions are located to the Computer Engineering research area. 

Site description

Tampere University, Tampere City and Pirkanmaa region released Chips from Finland initiative leading to strengthening EU’s Chips Act design excellence in the region that has strong business cluster around wireless communications, intelligent machines and imaging. Tampere University was recently granted a six-years Academy of Finland Profiling action “Silicon2Action” combining System-on-Chip, Wireless Communications and Robotics. System-on-Chip Hub (SoC Hub) was started in 2019 to become one of the top design sites in Europe. The success is based on a three-decade expertise on FPGA and DSP based multiprocessor system designs in collaboration with industry. Nokia designs the most advanced chips in Europe for 5G on the latest IC technology nodes in Finland, and Industry 4.0 companies has big potential for custom chips differentiating and securing the competitiveness. To meet industrial challenges, SoC Hub focuses on large, top quality prototype chips in the smallest geometries and aiming at high technology readiness level TRL6 onwards. SoC Hub created a unique co-working model in which over 70 experts from the university and companies carry out the SoC design daily. The promise of one large SoC per year has been proven with over 130M transistor chips from 2021. We use open source and custom Intellectual Property (IP) blocks and a mixture of open source and commercial EDA tools. IP-blocks include our own openasip.org DSP cores, RISC-V cores, network-on-chip, AI and crypto accelerators, and high-speed interfaces. Our own SoC tools include the famous open-source IP-XACT-based Kactus2. An example of the applications is full HW implementation of Kvazaar HEVC video encoder.

Job description

The positions expand the current research to create innovative architectures and components for contemporary applications and using the most modern tools and methodologies. We look forward to collaboration among the new positions in a complementary way. We search candidates for the following topics and working profiles on the field: 

1. System-on-Chip architectures and implementations. This topic aims at modeling and designing optimized signal processing, wireless communications, security, or robotics algorithms for SoC, tto connect different abstraction levels on application development and chip design. The expected outcomes are, for example, new models, design space exploration results, architectures, and IP-block designs.
2. System-on-Chip design methods, tools, and processes. The topic aims at research on methodologies, Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, ASIC backend design, and physical implementation of the chips. We value the passion to learn and lead the technology development for the latest digital ASIC technologies down to Ångström level geometries and new integration approaches like System-in-Package that must be considered also in the system level design.
3. High performance real-time computing. The topic aims at creating high performance computing blocks for SoCs under very high real-time and energy consumption constraints. The work may include modeling, profiling, and mapping of the algorithms on advanced DSP, GPU and processor architectures, and contribute to the HW design of custom IP-blocks and subsystems. The applications can focus on graphics rendering, video processing, machine learning, or specific fields of High-Performance Computing that call for custom chip designs.

The final profile of the position can be tailored according to your specific expertise and may include, for example, some of the following key topics: 

• System-on-Chip architectures, On-chip networks, RISC-V, Post-Quantum Security, AI, Approximate computing
• Methodologies like functional formal verification and ASIC modelling
• Application of AI to design flow, IP-XACT based design automation, open-source EDA tools
• SoC design for Chiplets and Heterogeneous Integration
• Quantum computer interfacing
• Low-power design and energy efficient architectures
• Sustainability aspects like SoC design for long life-cycle, re-usability and second purposing

In general, our tenure track staff are expected to: 

• pursue and supervise scientific research in the field,
• lead, conduct and develop research-led teaching, curriculum development and student supervision
• seek, secure and manage research funding from different sources e.g. EU instruments
• demonstrate effective academic leadership and engage with external stakeholders

Requirements

Assistant Professor

We require:

• applicable doctoral degree
• ability to undertake independent scholarly activity and potential to pursue scholarly activity at a high international level of excellence
• teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties and functions of the position.

Associate Professor

We require:

• applicable doctoral degree
• track record of independent scholarly activity
• teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties and functions of the position
• ability to lead a research group and acquire external funding
• track record of international scholarly activity.

Professor

We require:

• applicable doctoral degree
• high-level international scholarly expertise
• experience of leading scientific research
• ability to provide high-quality research-based education and instruction
• track record of winning external research funding
• track record of international scholarly activity

We will expect you to demonstrate how your profile aligns with the strategy of Tampere University and with the profile of the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences and describe how you would work in a multidisciplinary environment. Ideally, for more senior level appointments, you will have experience of leading or making a major contribution to a research group. Track-record of industry collaboration is considered as an asset. 

We offer

Initial appointment as an assistant professor and associate professor will be for five years. Subject to successful performance, you will become a tenured faculty member at the end of the first five-year period. You will be well supported throughout the five-year period to ease your transition to a tenured position. Full professors will hold a permanent appointment from the outset. Please read more about tenure track career system at Tampere University. A trial period of six months applies to all our new employees.

Salaries are based on the job demands and employees’ personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System. Typical  starting salary range will be from €4,200 to €4,900/month for an assistant professor and from €4,900 to €5,700/month for an associate professor and from 5,900-6,900 EUR/month for a professor. A higher salary may be agreed upon based on the successful candidate’s experience and/or performance. 

We offer you the opportunity to join our dynamic and innovative international community. As a member of staff at Tampere University, you will enjoy a range of competitive benefits, such as a flexible work schedule, good facilities for teleworking, occupational healthcare services, a variety of affordable food and drink outlets across our campuses and a personal fund to spend on sports and cultural activities in your free time. Please read more about working at Tampere University. You can also find more information about us and working and living Tampere by watching our video: Tampere Higher Education Community - our academic playground 

Tampere, located between two big lakes, is Finland’s second largest city area and the biggest inland city in the Nordic countries. The nature is close everywhere you turn your head in Tampere. This together with a strong tradition in industry make Tampere a unique environment for living and working. At present the region hosts a great deal of industry and service businesses, and the City of Tampere is a major hub for the Finnish ICT industry. For more information on Tampere, please check VisitTampere, Welcome to Tampere and International House Tampere.

Finland provides one of the most advanced and comprehensive social security in the world. It includes for example sickness benefits, various family benefits and a comprehensive healthcare system. For more information on Finland, please check InfoFinland and This is Finland.

How to apply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system (link below). The closing date for applications is August 4th 2023 (at 23.59 EEST / UTC 20:59).

Please write your application and all accompanying documents in English and attach them in PDF format. Applications should include the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae according to TENK guidelines
• List of publications according to Academy of Finland guidelines. Please indicate your ten most important publications and a link to those. You may also gather the publications to a cloud file and add a link to this to your list of publications.
• Teaching portfolio (according the university guideline)
• A research plan (max. 4 pages) including your research vision in this field and a plan for research for next 5 years
• A brief account of your career and of your key achievements (max. 1 page)
• The names, positions and contact details of two referees who can support your application.

For more information, please contact:

Professor Timo Hämäläinen, Computer Science Unit, timo.hamalainen@tuni.fi,