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The role

Applications are invited for a Research Fellow to be based at the Institute of Sound Recording (IoSR) and to work on EPSRC project Challenges in Immersive Audio Technologies (CIAT). (The position is a fixed-term, full-time contract until 19^y May 2027)

Immersive technologies will not only transform how we communicate and experience entertainment, they will also transform our experience of the physical world, from stores to museums, from cars to classrooms. Despite significant advances in computer vision, long-standing fundamental challenges negatively impact audio technologies, preventing immersion in realistic soundscapes in which audiences feel transported to an alternate reality. Specifically, modern immersive audio technologies are limited in their ability to efficiently deliver shared, high-quality auditory experiences to multiple listeners. CIAT’s vision is to transform the state of the art by developing a principled framework for capturing and reproducing only information relevant to sensory perception.

The post holder will work on developing new psychoacoustic-based spatial audio technologies for 3D sound reproduction, and on designing and implementing related perceptual assessments. They will join a team of eight other research fellows and PhD students funded by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture – two in Surrey, three at King’s College London, and three at the University of Southampton.

About you

The successful applicant will have a range of skills, including some of the following: Strong, independent research skills; Doctoral degree, or about to be completed, in engineering, computer science, or related field; Excellent signal processing and/or background audio; Experience in developing new spatial audio methods and/or in designing/implementing listening experiences.

They will be hosted by IoSR, a leading global center for audio engineering research. IoSR is also home to the Tonmeister Degree, which has produced a group of highly successful graduates who have collectively won numerous awards, including three Academy Awards, twelve Grammy Awards, six Emmy Awards and twelve BAFTA Awards.

Successful candidates will have extensive opportunities to: (1) collaborate and network among the three partner institutions and with external collaborators, including Stanford CCRMA, BBC, Sonos, and the National Gallery; (2) travel, including international conferences and workshops, as well as research visits at partner institutions and Stanford University; (3) Access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including national infrastructure hosted by the £2.2 million IoSR, AURORA³which is currently being built and consists of an anechoic chamber and a variable acoustic chamber capable of adjusting wall absorption and room volume, is the first of its kind in the world.

How to apply

Please apply with your CV and cover letter on the university website. Informal inquiries can be made to Professor Enzo De Sena e.desena@surrey.ac.uk.

The University of Surrey reserves the right to close this vacancy early based on the volume and type of applications.

More details

For more information and to apply online, please download more details and click the “Apply Online” button above.