[ecoop-info] Open post-doc position (INRIA, Triskell): Generative Approach for Model Simulation and Properties Analysis

[Benoit Combemale]

A research position (Post-doc) is available at the INRIA Rennes Bretagne Atlantique Research Center in the team-project Triskell, Rennes, France.

Tltle: Generative Approach for Model Simulation and Properties Analysis
Post-doctoral Fellow, INRIA Rennes, EPI Triskell (Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes)
Scientific advisor: Jean-Marc Jézéquel, and supervisor: Benoît Combemale (benoit.combemale at irisa.fr)

During her/his postdoc, the researcher will be considered as a full member of the TRISKELL team. The TRISKELL team is part of the « Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique » (INRIA), which is one of the leading research center in Computer Sciences in France. The research activities of TRISKELL encompass the whole spectrum of model-driven engineering. The team is member of numerous industrial and academic projects. We refer the candidates to the TRISKELL website for more information: http://www.irisa.fr/triskell/ 

Mission: 
Nowadays, object-oriented meta-languages such as MOF (Meta-Object Facility) are increasingly used in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) to define Domain Specific  Modeling Language (DSML). However, these meta-languages focus on the definition of the structural part of languages (i.e., the metamodel), and do not encompass behavioral description. Triskell team developed the executable meta-languages Kermeta (http://www.kermeta.org/) allowing to add precise description of behavior to a metamodel, potentially using aspect-oriented (meta)modeling (AOM). Kermeta is defined as an extension of the standard EMOF (Essential Meta-Object Facilities) providing an imperative, object-oriented, and model-oriented action language to define the body of metamodel operations.	
Kermeta allows giving a precise operational semantics for a metamodel to be able to run models that are compliant. These models can be run using either the interpreter or the (java) compiler, both provided by Kermeta. Then, it becomes possible to simulate domain specific model in order to validate the behavior earlier in the development process.
However, model simulation requires to complete the operational semantics of each DSML by the system’s behavior (external interactions, described such a scenario). The model of computation can be more or less complex depending on the application domain (discrete or continuous time, etc.) and the issues taken into account (e.g., distribution, parallelism, etc.). On the other hand, it is also necessary to define domain-specific model simulators, and tools to automatically analyze properties from the simulation traces.

Job offer description:
This post-doctoral position aims at defining a (DSML-based) generative component for developing domain-specific simulators and analysis tools. This component will help to build models of computation, and to re-use them in differents DSMLs through a precise architecture. Using aspect-oriented (meta)modeling [2] and model typing [6], the tool will allow to connect an operational semantics with a chosen model of computation. Then, relying on the whole DSML definition, it will also ease the definition of a dedicated interface to control the simulation (and graphical animation), to capture the temporal properties and to analyze them automatically.
The tool will be validated by using it on different use cases under investigation in the team (embedded systems, home automation, signal processing, etc.).

Skills and profile We are looking for candidates that would ideally fulfill the following requirements:
- A Ph.D. in computer science,
- A strong background in software engineering, object-oriented programming (e.g., Java) and in design patterns.
- A good knowledge of the model-driven engineering and practical experiences with Eclipse Modeling (e.g., EMF, EMF Text, GMF, and Topcased/Papyrus) and Kermeta. 
The position requires excellent English speaking and writing skills.

Salary approx. 2140 Euros (net) per month (2620 Euros gross) , contract 16 months.

Apply online: 
http://en.inria.fr/institute/recruitment/offers/campaign-2011-fifty-five-post-doctoral-positions-offered/campaign-2011/%28view%29/details.html?id=PNGFK026203F3VBQB6G68LOE1&LOV5=4508&LG=EN&Resultsperpage=20&nPostingID=4790&nPostingTargetID=9739&option=52&sort=DESC&nDepartmentID=19

** All jobs and internships available in the team-project Triskell at http://www.irisa.fr/triskell/jobs