Summer jobs (Research assistant positions) at the Department of Communications and Networking (Comnet)

Comnet is a multi-disciplinary unit of research and higher education covering communications and networking technology, networking business and human aspects of communication and communications technology. In its area, Comnet is the largest unit in Finland. Comnet develops communications, information and teletraffic theory and conducts fundamental and applied experimental research in communications and networking technology. In shaping the Internet technology it is a significant force internationally.

Comnet has 10 professors, 117 employees and turnover of 8,5 M€. Approximately 60 MSc students and 8 PhD students get their degrees annually.

Join us to learn new technology!

We offer you a dynamic working environment and a ringside seat for the communication systems and networks research. Summer jobs are also an ideal way of gaining work experience along with study credits. Students without a Bachelor’s degree should have at least 120 credits by the beginning of June 2015. Salary basis: Job demand level 1 & number of credits in transcript.

Applications are sent by email to address [email protected]

Email subject must be: Summer job 2015 nr. [Job number]

For example applications for Development of MIMO laboratory work by using software radio, subject would be: Summer job 2015 nr. 2.

The applications can be written in English, Finnish or Swedish.

Your application should include:

1. Short informal cover with justification why you are the person we are looking for
2. CV
3. OODI transcript of records

If you apply for more than one position please send a separate email for each position. Do not send applications to email addresses below, only questions.

Closing date: February 27th, 2015, by 3 p.m.

​1. Renewing the Laboratory Course in Internet Technologies (2 positions)

Student laboratory at Comnet have recently received new state-of-art networking systems by purchases and generous donations from the industry. To get the best laboratory work from those, we would like you to have a good knowledge of networking technology (at least courses S-38.2188 and S-38.2121 or ELEC-C7240). You should be able to work with real devices (routers, Linux, FreeBSD, Windows) and produce good documentation. Previous experience of measurements (e.g., from laboratory courses S-38.2131 and S-38.3133) is also valued highly.

Contact information: Laboratory manager Markus Peuhkuri

​2. Development of MIMO laboratory work by using software radio (1 position)

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna systems have become an essential part of many communication systems. We are looking for a summer worker who helps to develop a laboratory work of MIMO system. We have developed Matlab code that will be used in the laboratory work. The laboratory work will use over the air transmission by using USRP platform. Your task is to set up the USRP platform and port the current Matlab exercises to the C such that they can be used in that platform. You are expected to have a solid knowledge of radio transmission methods (e.g. courses Transmission methods and Digital transmission methods or ELEC-C7230) and good writing skills.

Contact information: Kalle Ruttik

​3. LTE L2 protocol implementation and testing (1 position)

Researchers at Comnet have developed software defined radio based TD-LTE base station. We are looking for a summer trainee to participate in L2 protocol development and testing. Successful candidate should have good C-programming skills and basic understanding of the LTE system protocol architecture, knowledge of C++ is considered as a merit.

Contact information: Riku Jäntti

​4. Human performance -based QoS management (1 position)

QoS and QoE-based network management use mathematical models of for example MOS (mean opinion score), utility, or fairness. Our goal is to extend network management to consider objective task performance, i.e. the user's ability achieve task goals efficiently. Task performance, rather than "utility" or MOS, is important for performance-critical activities like gaming, telesurgery, and business applications.

The challenge here is to provide a new formalization for task performance that suits network management, derive predictive models empirically, and validate them. This internship is part of a larger endeavour at the department. This task is best suitable for students with background in one or more of the following: 1) QoS or QoE models, 2) empirical research with human subjects, 3) mathematical models, 4) statistical analysis.

Contact information: Antti Oulasvirta

​5. Sequential pattern mining of log data to do automated task analysis (1 position)

Hierarchical task analysis is done manually by human factors specialists and designers in user-centered design. This yields task diagrams that they use to inform design. However, only trained specialists can do this and it is very subjective. The question is if by means of sequential pattern mining, one could automatically derive such models from log data. For example, given menu selection data, or operator’s data, we could form task analysis diagrams.

The mathematical challenge is to find a relationship between hierarchical task analysis, on the one hand, and the formalisms of sequential patterns in data mining, on the other. This would be a small "revolution" in user-centered design and human factors where task analysis is one of the most important methods. For UI optimization, this would allow accelerating the acquisition of objective functions. This task is best suitable for students with previous experience in data mining.

Contact information: Antti Oulasvirta

​6. Summer intern for the course ELEC-E7850 User Interfaces (1 position)

We are seeking a summer intern for the course ELEC-E7850 User Interfaces. The course introduces models and theories of human-computer interaction to students with engineering and computer science background. The course was organized in Fall 2014 for the first time. The task of the summer intern is to create exercise materials for Matlab or Python under supervision of Prof. Oulasvirta. The exercises typically apply a model ol theory to a design or interaction problem. Models and theories discussed in the course cover lots of ground from psychology to consumer studies and HCI. For example, they cover information foraging theory, saliency and clutter perception models, models of memory and learning, quality of service models, multitasking theories etc. This is an exciting opportunity for students interested in human-computer interaction. Experience with Matlab or Python is required. Previous studies in modeling, human-computer interaction, interaction design, or human factors are preferable.

Contact information: Antti Oulasvirta

​7. Development of C++ Programming Course (1 position)

School of Electrical Engineering is planning to start a C++ Programming Course. This course would be implemented as an open online course, and an essential part of the course would be exercises automatically checked by the TMC software. We are looking for an insightful person to help the responsible teacher in designing the course content and implementing the programming exercises.

You are expected to know the C++ programming language well, and able implement several small C++ tester programs at a relatively fast pace.  Pedagogical insightfulness in proactively planning the course content and exercises is considered a strong benefit. Familiarity with the TMC system is also considered benefit.

Contact information: Pasi Sarolahti