I am looking for a researcher/scientist interested in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognition and Information Visualization, to become part of our new and growing VIXI group as a Post-doctoral fellow.

Where: University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
What: A Post-doctoral Fellowship, 1 to 2 years in length
When: Applications being evaluated now, until position filled. Start is negotiable.

Requirements

• An PhD degree in computer science, psychology/neuroscience, software design or software engineering, or a completion date for such PhD within the next few months.
• Evidence of ability to publish in their area of expertise.
• Experience with at least one of the following methodologies (in no particular order of importance):
  • Qualitative observation and qualitative analysis (e.g., grounded theory).
  • Controlled experiment design, execution and analysis.
  • Advanced human-sensing methodologies. For example gaze-tracking, EEG, FNRIS, motion tracking.
  • Contextual analysis.
• Ability to program.
• A willingness to work with and mentor students at all levels (undergraduate, MSc, PhD).

Topics and Interests

The candidate will work with current research students, with the main supervisor (Dr Miguel Nacenta) on common projects, and will also have time to further their own research. Current research interests of Dr Nacenta include:

• Supporting non-experts in complex cognitive tasks such as planning, estimation, prediction and problem solving through novel technologies.
• Enabling groups and communities to work effectively together on complex cognitive tasks such as planning, estimation, prediction and problem solving.
• Finding effective representations of problems and data to enable better communication and enhanced problem solving.
• Reducing the friction imposed by current interfaces and input devices on complex cognitive tasks.
• Novel interfaces and visualization techniques for reading and thinking.

You can access recent published work by Dr Nacenta through his Google Scholar Profile

What to do

If you are interested in becoming our partner in learning and research, send an e-mail to nacenta(at)uvic(dot)ca with the following information:

• A CV or resumé which includes a list of publications.
• A cover letter that describes why you’d like to work with us, what you main skills are, and your research area of interest going forward in your research career.
• The names, positions, and e-mail of 2 referees.

What we offer

One to two year employment as a full member of our lab and the Department of Computer Science of the University of Victoria; Salary starting at CAD$50K, but negotiable based on merit and/or experience of the candidate; Opportunities to contribute to teaching (only if so desired); A supportive community of scholars and students.

Who we are

The Victoria Interactive eXperiences with Information (VIXI) group is a newly formed research group in the areas of Human-Computer Interaction, Visualization and Cognition. With three faculty (Sowmya Somanath, Charles Perin, Miguel Nacenta), and over 16 students at different levels, we aspire to be a diverse learning community that supports the growth of each member while also contributing to research at an international level of excellence and impact.

Where we are located

Victoria is the Capital of British Columbia, the westernmost province of Canada. Surrounded by water, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is part of a vibrant urban area of close to 400,000 inhabitants, yet surrounded by amazing nature and parks. The city has an extensive network of cycling paths (for commuting or leisure), great access to outdoor activities (kayaking, scuba diving, mountain biking, hiking, skiing – further north in Vancouver Island or across the Salish strait), and good connections through its International Airport and ferries to the mainland and the United States. The city is extremely child-friendly and has probably the mildest climate in Canada, with an average temperature in January of 5 degrees Celsius and mild summers. Average precipitation is about half that of nearby Vancouver (107km away as the crow flies) due to the rain shadow effect of the Olympic Mountains to its South.

We acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose traditional territory the University of Victoria stands and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.