Description
Project: Social cognition in human-robot interaction
Commitment & contract: 3 years (fixed-term contract)
Location: Genova, via Enrico Melen 83
ABOUT US
At IIT we work enthusiastically to develop human-centered Science and Technology to tackle some of the most pressing societal challenges of our times and transfer these technologies to the production system and society. Our Genoa headquarters are strictly interconnected with the other 11 centers around Italy and two outstations based in the US. We promote excellence in basic and applied research such as neuroscience and cognition, humanoid technologies and robotics, nanotechnology, materials for a truly multidisciplinary scientific experience.
YOUR TEAM
You’d be working within the Social Cognition in Human-Robot Interaction (S4HRI) Research Line at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), a multicultural and multi-disciplinary group led by Prof. Agnieszka Wykowska. Our research line focuses on examining mechanisms of social cognition involved in interactions with humanoid robots (the iCub robot specifically). With objective methods of cognitive neuroscience (EEG, eye tracking, performance measures) we study human-robot interaction. You can read about our research line here:
You will join also the VALAWAI (VALue-Aware-AI) project, a collaborative research project funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe framework EIC-2021-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES (G.A. 101070930) with collaboration partners in Barcelona, Ghent and Paris. The project addresses a question of what kind of mechanisms would give artificial agents capabilities that we usually associate with awareness, specifically awareness of the values that are usually implicit in human or machine intelligence.
Within the S4HRI team, your main responsibilities will be:
1. developing software for supporting experiments in human-robot interaction
2. supporting for the management and maintenance of laboratory equipment
3. assisting researchers in their scientific activities
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
4. A master’s degree in software engineering or related fields
5. Excellent programming skills in C++ and Python (multi-thread programming, inter-process communication, network programming).
6. Fluency in operating on GNU/Linux OS.
7. Working knowledge of written and spoken English.
8. Good communication skills and the ability to integrate within a multidisciplinary international research group.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
9. Experience with robotics middleware (e.g. ROS or YARP)
10. Experience in AI and basic knowledge of ML approaches (supervised learning, reinforcement learning, unsupervised learning, etc).
11. Experience with EEG/EMG, BCI or eye-tracking technologies
12. Experience in full stack web development
COMPENSATION PACKAGE
13. Competitive salary package for international standards (Salary can include bonus option)
14. Private health care coverage
15. Wide range of staff discounts
16. 2 days of teleworking per week
17. Flexible working time
WHAT’S IN FOR YOU?
18. An equal, inclusive and multicultural environment ready to welcome you with open arms. Discrimination is a big NO for us!
19. We like contamination and encourage you to mingle and discover what other people are up to in our labs!
20. If paperwork is not your piece of cake, we got you! There’s a specialized team working to help you with that, especially during your relocation!
21. If you are a startupper or a business-minded person, you will find some exceptionally gifted professionals ready to nurture and guide your attitude and aspirations.
22. If you want your work to have a real impact, in IIT you will find an innovative and stimulating culture that drives our mission to contribute to the improvement and well-being of society!
23. We stick to our values! Integrity, courage, societal responsibility and inclusivity are the values we believe in! They define us and our actions in our everyday life. They guide us to accomplish IIT mission!
If you feel this tickles your appetite for change, do not hesitate and apply!