PhD #3

Vacancy description

Within the IVORY doctoral network, this doctoral research position is focusing on AI-supported road safety research. The successful candidate will play a key role in advancing the understanding of road safety in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) by developing innovative methodologies and frameworks. It aims to perform AI-supported knowledge discovery in databases and to facilitate transport modelling with AI deep learning predictive crash models.

The goal is to identify and classify potential structured and unstructured big data sources for the development of road safety performance assessments and predictive crash modelling and to develop innovative and cost-effective data acquisition, processing and analysis methods to support road safety management in LMIC (performance indicators, star rating, risk mapping, road safety audit and road safety inspection). A taxonomy of data, methods and tools will be developed for AI road safety support to less resourced countries.

Project description

IVORY (www.ivory-network.eu) is a Horizon Europe MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Industrial Doctoral Network consisting of 22 partners (universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations). The project aims to develop a new framework for the integration of AI in road safety and train a new generation of leading researchers in the field, in order to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals target 3.6 (halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2030) and EC ‘Vision Zero’ strategy (eliminating traffic fatalities by 2050).

PhD students will obtain their PhD degree from the relevant academic partner and spend at least 50% of their PhD time at the relevant non-academic partner.

Academic host

Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Croatia

Months 1 to 18 of recruitment

https://www.fpz.unizg.hr/en/naslovna/novosti/

Industry host

AGILYSIS, United Kingdom

months 18-36 of recruitment

https://agilysis.co.uk/about-us/

Secondment(s)

EIRA, Slovenia, duration: 9 months (Month 10-18)

Research field(s)

Data science; Transport engineering; Safety science

Application deadline

31 January 2024

Type of contract

Fixed-term (18+18 months)

Employment status

Full time (1.0 fte)

Eligibility criteria

·         A Master"s degree (or equivalent);

·         Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.

·         Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Croatia for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

Required skills

·      A Master"s degree (or equivalent) in transport engineering, civil engineering or computer science; other relevant Master"s degrees will also be considered.

·         Familiarity with statistical analysis and/or probability theory

·         Familiarity with relevant GIS spatial application and databases

·         Familiarity and hands-on experience with machine learning algorithms

·         Coding skills in one of the following languages: Python or R

·         Strong conceptual and analytical skills

·         The ability to work both independently and as part of a team

·         High level of proficiency in English

Optional skills (preferred but not required)

·         Familiarity with coding languages

·         Familiarity with (any of the following) numpy, scipy, scikit-learn, tensorflow, pytorch, opencv, matplotlib [or similar/equivalent libraries in R (caret, tidymodels, ggplot2]

·         Familiarity with road safety through a Master’s thesis

·         Familiarity in working with and harmonizing data from different sources 

·         Excellent soft skills in communication and presentation, as well as networking while working with authorities  

·         Familiarity with research and academic writing

·         Familiarity with iRAP protocols 

·         Familiarity with the use and integration of external APIs

English requirement

High level of proficiency in English or native English speaker (will be tested at interview).

Salary

The successful candidate will receive a competitive and attractive academic remuneration package following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates.

The exact salary will vary depending on the country of the host partner and will be confirmed upon appointment. The salary includes a living allowance, a mobility allowance, and a family allowance (if the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the duration of the fellowship).

Other benefits

In addition, the doctoral candidate will benefit from further training within the IVORY network, which includes internships/secondments in other laboratories, a variety of training courses (including transferable skills), and active participation in workshops and conferences.

Application process

·         Candidates should apply electronically using the link indicated in the PhD position(s) of their interest,

·         Candidates should provide the following documents:

o   Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English

o   Motivational letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant

o   Contact information of 2 references

o   Copy of Master’s degree diploma

o   Proof of citizenship

o   Copies of any other relevant certifications listed within CV

Candidates should apply electronically via e-mail address pisarnica@fpz.unizg.hr with the title of the PhD position in the e-mail subject. 

Academic host

Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences (FPZ), established in 1984, is a part of the University of Zagreb, and the leading high education as well as scientific and research institution in the field of transport and traffic engineering in Croatia. Postgraduate studies of the Faculty provide three-year Doctoral Studies in the field of Transport and Traffic Engineering, as well as one-year Specialist Studies in Urban Transport and Traffic, Inter-modal Transport and Traffic, and Transport Logistics and Management. A successful FPZ PhD candidate is qualified to work in scientific teaching and scientific research institutions, development institutes and research centres of industry companies, public sector as well as in transport companies of all sizes. Apart from teaching activities, employees actively participate in various scientific and consultancy projects around the world.

Industry host

Agilysis is a leading transport safety consultancy who provide strategic support and data platforms to local authorities, road safety partnerships and roads policing throughout Great Britain and across the globe. Specialising in Safe System methodology, Agilysis have supported national governments and transport authorities to develop and deliver on new strategies to help them achieve their Vision Zero goals. They have an extensive track record of working with public and private sector clients to deliver perceptive and relevant studies using state of the art techniques, including multidimensional data mining, socio demographic segmentation, geo-spatial methodology and contextualisation. With access to a wide variety of datasets such as live and historical connected vehicle data, the Agilysis team provide insightful and rigorous analysis of trends in road traffic collisions and the people involved in them.

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Assoc. Prof. Marko Ševrović at msevrovic@fpz.unizg.hr or Richard Owen at richard.owen@agilysis.co.uk