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<div class="gmail_quote">Two Early Stage Researcher (ESR) positions<br>are available at the Institute of Computer Science (ICS),<br>Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH),<br>Heraklion, Crete Island, Greece. These positions<br>
are funded by the European Commission under<br>the Marie Curie Initial Training Network Programme<br>(project TransForm).<br><br>We address (pre-PhD) researchers aiming at<br>significantly improving their career perspectives<br>
from both the PUBLIC and PRIVATE sector.<br><br>The duration of the appointment is 3 years. Applications<br>for smaller periods will also be considered (but applicants<br>interested to join the project for 3 years will be given<br>
priority).<br><br>Applicants may also request to be considered as candidates<br>for the PhD program at the Department of Computer Science,<br>University of Crete, Greece.<br><br><br>RESEARCH TOPIC<br>***********************<br>
The ESRs will pursue research on the general area<br>of concurrent computing and in particular on<br>the Theoretical Foundations of Transactional Memory.<br><br>Multicore architectures have come to stay; yet multicore<br>
is useless without concurrent programming. The current<br>parallel programming approach of employing locks is<br>widely considered to be too difficult for any but a few<br>experts. Transactional Memory (TM) is a new programming<br>
paradigm which is considered by many researchers as the<br>future of parallel programming. To understand properly<br>TM systems as well as be able to assess them and improve them,<br>a rigorous theoretical study of the approach,<br>
its challenges and its benefits is badly needed.<br>This is the challenging research goal to be undertaken<br>by the recruited ESRs.<br><br>The recruited ESRs will work in close collaboration with<br>the other academic partners of the project:<br>
* EPFL, Switzerland (Prof. Rachid Guerraoui)<br>* Technische Universitaet of Berlin, Germany (Prof. Anja Feldman & Dr. Petr Kuznetsov)<br>* Technion, Department of Computer Science, Israel (Prof. Hagit Attiya)<br>* University of Rennes I, France (Prof. Michel Raynal)<br>
and under the supervision of researchers from the industry:<br>* Deutsche Telekom, Germany (Prof. Dr. Anja Feldman & Dr. Petr Kuznetsov)<br>* Microsoft Research, Cambridge, UK (Dr. Tim Harris)<br>* Sun Microsystems Labs, Massachusetts, USA (Dr. Victor Luchangco)<br>
* IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, USA (Dr. Maged Michael and Dr. Eran Yahav)<br><br><br>ELIGIBILITY<br>**************<br>The recruited researchers should be, at the time of selection,<br>in the first four years of their research careers (measured<br>
from the date when they obtained the degree which would formally<br>entitle them to embark on a doctorate). Also:<br> * ESRs should not already have a PhD<br> * ESRs should be nationals of a country other than Greece, and<br>
* ESRs must not have resided or carried out their main activity<br> (work, studies, etc.) in Greece for more than 12 months in the<br> last 3 years.<br><br>(Some examples of eligible candidates are presented below.)<br>
<br><br>IMPORTANT DATES<br>************************<br>There are two cut-off dates:<br><br>1) 1st Cut-off Date: October 20, 2009<br> Starting Date: January 1, 2010<br> Ending Date: December 31, 2012<br><br>2) 2nd Cut-off Date: March 20, 2010<br>
Starting Date: September 1, 2010<br> Ending Date: August 31, 2013<br><br>Priority will be given to applicants that can join the project in<br>January 2010. Applicants interested to join the project in September<br>
of 2010 should send an e-mail of interest to Panagiota Fatourou<br>[faturu AT cs DOT uoi DOT gr] by October 20, 2009.<br><br>PhD students register at the Department of Computer Science twice<br>each year, every February and September. So, applicants interested<br>
to pursue a PhD could potentially start their studies<br>either on February 2010 or on September 2010.<br><br><br>FINANCIAL PROVISIONS<br>******************************<br>Marie Curie ITNs provide competitive financial support<br>
to the ESRs including:<br>* a fair monthly living and mobility allowance,<br>* a yearly travel allowance (i.e., a fixed amount of money<br> based upon the direct distance between the location of origin<br> of the researcher and Heraklion, Greece, where FORTH-ICS is located),<br>
* a career exploratory allowance (i.e., a single payment for attending<br> job interviews, additional courses, job fairs, etc.), and<br>* coverage of the expenses related to the participation of<br> the ESRs in research and training activities (contribution to<br>
research-related costs, meetings, conference attendance,<br> training actions, etc.).<br><br><br>HOW TO APPLY<br>********************<br>The applicant must submit the following documents together<br>with an application:<br>
1) Curriculum Vitae<br>2) Statement of objectives<br>3) Official transcripts of diplomas and grades from<br> all academic institutions of higher education listed<br> in his/her application (after high-school)<br>4) Certified translations of diplomas and grades into English<br>
or Greek (if not originally in English or Greek)<br>5) Certificates showing all courses attended by the applicant<br> with credit value (ECTS points) and grade for each course<br>6) Certificates proving fluency in English language<br>
7) Copies (or electronic versions) of theses (diploma thesis,<br> MSc thesis) and research papers published by the applicant<br>8) Three recommendation letters (as described in more detail below)<br>9) Other certificates, awards or documents that the applicant<br>
would like to submit<br>10) A copy of passport or official identity document showing<br> the applicant's name in full<br><br>Each recommendation consists of two elements:<br>* A form to be filled out by the referee (contact Panagiota Fatourou<br>
[faturu AT cs DOT uoi DOT gr] for obtaining the required forms).<br>* An additional letter with the referee's comments.<br><br>Recomendations must be sent directly to the following address:<br>Prof. Panagiota Fatourou<br>
Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas<br>N. Plastira 100<br>Vassilika Vouton<br>GR-700 13 Heraklion<br>Crete Island<br>GREECE<br><br>Applicants that envisage a PhD will have to submit<br>additional documents to comply with the application procedure<br>
of the Department of Computer Science of the University of Crete.<br>In this case please contact Panagiota Fatourou<br>[faturu AT cs DOT uoi DOT gr] for more information.<br><br>Selected applicants will be invited to undergo a (telephone) interview<br>
(and possibly to give a presentation at FORTH ICS).<br><br><br>GENDER EQUALITY<br>*************************<br>FORTH is an equal opportunity employer.<br>Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.<br>Panagiota Fatourou (the coordinator of TransForm) is a woman,<br>
and the same is true for half of the rest of the project researchers.<br>This identifies the extra sensitivity of TransForm to gender<br>equality issues; all possible efforts will be made to increase<br>participation of women researchers in the project.<br>
<br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br><br>THE TRAINING PROCESS<br>*******************************<br>TransForm aims at improving the career perspectives of researchers<br>
by offering structured training in the challenging research area<br>of Transactional Memory, as well as providing complementary skills<br>and exposing the researchers to other sectors including private<br>companies. More specifically, the ESRs will work in close collaboration<br>
with leading researchers in the field of concurrent computing over Europe;<br>five well-known universities and research institutes (listed below)<br>participate in the project:<br><br>1) Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas,<br>
Institute of Computer Science, Greece (Prof. Panagiota Fatourou)<br>2) EPFL, Switzerland (Prof. Rachid Guerraoui)<br>3) Technische Universitaet of Berlin<br> (Prof. Dr. Anja Feldman and Dr. Petr Kuznetsov)<br>4) Technion, Department of Computer Science (Prof. Hagit Attiya)<br>
5) University of Rennes I, France (Prof. Michel Raynal)<br><br>Strong collaboration among the research teams is a must for Marie-Curie<br>Initial Training Netowrks and the ESRs will have the opportunity<br>of visits and secondments to the institutions of the other partners<br>
of the network.<br><br>Additionally, the ESRs will be given the opportunity to come<br>in touch with strong industrial partners since researchers from<br>well-known companies, like Deutsche Telekom (Germany),<br>Microsoft Research, Cambridge (UK), the Sun Microsystems Labs,<br>
and the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center in the US, stand at the<br>supervisory board of the project.<br><br>Training also includes network-wide training activities<br>with the long-term goal of providing a full-power training<br>
to the ESRs. Examples of such activities are the attendance<br>of workshops and summer schools, courses that provide complementary<br>training (such as project management, presentation skills,<br>language courses, ethics, IPR, communication, etc.),<br>
involvement in the organisation of network activities,<br>and other aspects such as proposal writing, task co-ordination, etc.<br><br><br>FORTH ICS & UNIVERSITY OF CRETE<br>**********************************************<br>
The Institute of Computer Science (FORTH ICS) is one of the<br>leading research centres in Greece with well-organized facilities<br>and highly qualified staff. It has an internationally acknowledged<br>reputation in conducting basic and applied research, developing<br>
applications and products, and providing services. FORTH ICS has strong<br>international collaborations, and has formed several alliances with<br>industrial partners both inside Greece and internationally.<br><br>FORTH ICS provides all the required facilities for a successful career<br>
in computer science. It is located at the relatively-new, modern building<br>of FORTH which provides all required infrastructure. Some of its<br>facilities include several computer labs, fully equipped seminar halls,<br>access to auditorium, and a library with a rich collection<br>
to support the research and educational needs of the project.<br><br>More information about FORTH ICS can be found at<br><a href="http://www.ics.forth.gr/" target="_blank">http://www.ics.forth.gr/</a><br><br>ESRs that envision a PhD in computer science,<br>
will have to follow the PhD mechanisms of the Department of Computer Science<br>of the University of Crete, one of the top universities in Greece<br>(see <a href="http://www.csd.uoc.gr/" target="_blank">http://www.csd.uoc.gr</a> and <a href="http://www.uoc.gr/" target="_blank">http://www.uoc.gr/</a> for more information<br>
on the Department of Computer Science and the University of Crete,<br>respectively).<br><br><br>THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF CRETE<br>********************************************<br>Living in Crete, the biggest (and one of the most beautiful) island<br>
in Greece, can become an exciting experience. Crete is a multicolored<br>mosaic of mythology, history, culture, friendly and proud people,<br>rough and stony mountains, gorges, the always bright cretan sun<br>and the deep sea that surrounds the island. In addition to<br>
the facilities offered by its big cities, one can really enjoy<br>the beauty of the landscape and the mountains.<br><br>The island offers a wide range of outdoor activites,<br>from mountaineering to all kind of watersports, to tennis,<br>
basketball and footbal. Rock climbing, paragliding, parapente,<br>parachute, hiking (i.e., through the spectacular Europe's longest<br>Samaria Gorge as well as through many other smaller but well-known<br>gorgeous gorges of the island), mountain bike, all kind of sea sports<br>
(from swiming to diving at a wonderful undersea world, to sailing,<br>etc.), cave exploration, as well as a plethora of other activites<br>(like horse riding, participation in local feasts, etc.) are only<br>some of the adventurous choices offered on the island.<br>
<br>Other attractions are in plentiful supply and include<br>the remains of the Minoan civilisation at Knossos<br>as well as a wide collection of other archeological sites<br>of interest, the astonishing Archaeological Museum in Iraklio,<br>
pictersque villages spread all around the island,<br>the well-known traditional Cretan food, and<br>the wonderful beaches on the southern side of Crete.<br><br>Several beautiful small islands (like Gavdos, Chrissi, etc.)<br>
are very close to Crete and are popular destinations for one day cruises.<br>Moreover, Crete is just two hours sailing away from the magnificent island<br>of Santorini (Thira) in Cyclades from which most of the Cyclades islands<br>
can be reached.<br><br>Any discussion of Crete without mentioning its people would not be<br>complete. Cretans are a proud and independent people and their behavior<br>reflects their long history and their struggles against occupying forces:<br>
"They are a truly admirable people who learnt to hold on stubbornly<br>throughout the tumultuous events of fourty centuries to their native character<br>and local speech. Courage, mingled with an independent spirit that is often<br>
close to downright disobedience, a lively wit, vivid imagination, and a language<br>full of images, spontaneous and unaffected, love for every kind of adventure,<br>an indefatigable urge for freedom, that goes hand in hand with an insatiable<br>
desire for bravado... A fertile land that has always given birth to the worthiest<br>of men both ..., in science and letters, in the economy and in war..."<br>("History of Crete" by Theoharis Theotokis).<br>
<br><br>ELIGIBILITY EXAMPLES<br>*****************************<br>Example A:<br>A researcher has already been working as a researcher in industry<br>for two years since graduating with his/her first degree in computer science.<br>
S/he would be able to benefit from participation in an ITN as an ESR even without<br>pursuing a Ph.D. degree.<br><br>Example B:<br>A researcher has graduated with his/her MSc degree in computer science<br>in 2007 and would like to start his/her Ph.D. studies in 2010.<br>
S/he is eligible as an ESR within the ITN as s/he has less<br>than 4 years of research experience and no PhD.<br><br>Example C:<br>A researcher obtained his/her PhD after 3 ˝ years. S/he is NOT eligible<br>as an ESR within an ITN even though s/he has less than 4 years of<br>
research experience.<br><br><br>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:<br>Panagiota Fatourou [faturu AT cs DOT uoi DOT gr]<br>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>Apologies for multiple copies of this opening.<br><br></div><br></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br>