Doctoral Researcher in Backscatter-Assisted Wireless Positioning

Aalto University; Espoo; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Occupational healthcare

Employee benefits

Flexible working arrangements

International research environment

Job summary

Aalto University in Espoo, Finland invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher in Backscatter‑Assisted Wireless Positioning. The role sits in the Department of Information and Communications Engineering within the BANLOS project, combining theory and experiments to advance wireless positioning using backscatter techniques.

You will pursue doctoral studies, contribute to experimental radio systems, publish in journals, and engage in collaboration with national and international researchers.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in electrical engineering, communications engineering, signal processing, computer science, applied mathematics, or related field
• Strong foundation in wireless communications, statistical signal processing, estimation theory or related area
• Good mathematical and analytical skills
• Programming skills suitable for numerical simulation, signal processing, or experimental research
• Good written and spoken English
• Motivation and ability to pursue doctoral studies and conduct long-term research
• Master's degree completed by the start of the employment

Responsibilities

• Develop and experimentally validate backscatter-assisted radio positioning methods for challenging environments
• Apply detection and estimation theory to questions of detectability, identifiability and positioning accuracy
• Design and implement software-defined radio prototypes and measurement experiments
• Evaluate proposals through simulations, laboratory experiments, and datasets
• Publish results in high-quality journals and conferences and present to the scientific community
• Participate in teaching and other academic activities to a limited extent

Skills

Wireless communications

Statistical signal processing

Estimation theory

Programming for research simulations

Education

Master's degree in electrical engineering or related field

Tools

Python

MATLAB

C/C++

GNU Radio

Job description

Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16000 students and 5200 employees, including 446 professors. Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland.

Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.

Would you like to develop new wireless positioning methods for challenging non‑line‑of‑sight environments and validate them through real radio experiments? We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher in Backscatter‑Assisted Wireless Positioning to join the Department of Information and Communications Engineering at Aalto University. The position is part of the Research Council of Finland project Backscatter Assisted Non‑line‑of‑sight Positioning (BANLOS). The project investigates how backscatter communications can enable and improve wireless positioning when direct line‑of‑sight propagation is unavailable or unreliable. As a doctoral researcher, you will work towards a doctoral degree while contributing to research at the intersection of wireless positioning, backscatter communications, statistical signal processing, and software‑defined radio experimentation. Depending on your background and interests, your research may emphasize theoretical modelling and algorithms, experimental implementation, or a combination of the two.

Role and Research

Your main goal will be to develop and experimentally validate methods that use backscatter‑assisted radio measurements to improve positioning in challenging propagation environments. The detailed research questions will be refined together with your supervisors as your doctoral research progresses. Your work may include:

• Developing signal models, algorithms, and performance analyses for backscatter‑assisted non‑line‑of‑sight positioning
• Applying detection and estimation theory to questions such as detectability, identifiability, positioning accuracy, and robustness
• Designing and implementing software‑defined radio prototypes and measurement experiments
• Evaluating the proposed methods through simulations, laboratory experiments, and relevant measurement datasets
• Publishing your research in high‑quality international journals and conferences and presenting your results to the scientific community
• Completing doctoral studies and developing the research skills required for a doctoral degree
• Participating in teaching and other academic activities of the department to a limited extent

The precise balance between theoretical and experimental research can be tailored according to your background and the scientific direction of the project.

Your research environment and supervision

You will join the BANLOS project in the research group of Professor Riku Jäntti at Aalto University’s Department of Information and Communications Engineering. The research environment brings together expertise in wireless communications, radio positioning, statistical signal processing, and experimental radio systems. You will collaborate with researchers and students at Aalto University as well as with the project's wider national and international scientific network. You will receive regular scientific supervision and support in developing the skills needed to become an independent researcher. As your doctoral work progresses, you will also be encouraged to develop your own research ideas, build scientific networks, and initiate new collaborations.

What we expect from you

We are looking for a motivated, curious, and collaborative candidate who enjoys tackling challenging technical problems and is interested in developing into an independent researcher. You should have:

• A Master's degree, or equivalent, in electrical engineering, communications engineering, signal processing, computer science, applied mathematics, or another closely related field
• A strong foundation in wireless communications, statistical signal processing, estimation theory, or a related area
• Good mathematical and analytical skills
• Programming skills suitable for numerical simulation, signal processing, or experimental research
• Good written and spoken English
• Motivation and ability to pursue doctoral studies and conduct long‑term research
• The Master's degree should be completed by the start of the employment

We particularly value experience or interest in one or more of the following: Detection and estimation theory Wireless positioning and localization Backscatter or wireless communications Statistical signal processing Software‑defined radio and experimental wireless systems Python, MATLAB, C/C++, GNU Radio, or comparable research tools

Previous publication experience is not required. In the selection, we will place particular emphasis on the applicant’s research potential, academic background, analytical and problem‑solving skills, motivation for the research topic, and ability to conduct doctoral research.

Doctoral studies at Aalto University

The position is intended for a researcher pursuing a doctoral degree at the Aalto Doctoral Programme in Electrical Engineering. The selected candidate must fulfil the eligibility and admission requirements of the Doctoral Programme in Electrical Engineering. If you do not already have a doctoral study right at Aalto University, you will apply for the study right after being selected for the position. More information about the doctoral programme, eligibility requirements, and doctoral admissions is available on the Aalto University website under Aalto Doctoral Programme in Electrical Engineering.

What we offer

At Aalto University, you will benefit from:

• A fully funded doctoral researcher position and the opportunity to work towards a doctoral degree
• A research topic combining fundamental questions in statistical estimation with practical wireless systems and experiments
• An international research environment with strong expertise in wireless communications, positioning, and signal processing
• Close scientific supervision while gradually developing independence as a researcher
• Access to computing, software‑defined radio, radio prototyping, and measurement resources for theoretical and experimental research
• Support for scientific publishing, international conference participation, research visits, professional development, and building your future research career
• Occupational healthcare and other employee benefits provided by Aalto University

The position follows the School of Electrical Engineering’s doctoral researcher employment practices. The initial employment contract is for two years, with a six‑month probationary period. Following a successful mid‑term review, the contract is expected to be extended for a further two years, giving a total duration of four years. The salary is determined according to the salary system of Finnish universities. The starting salary for a doctoral researcher is EUR 3,143 per month (gross) and develops as the doctoral research and studies progress. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible, but the exact date can be agreed with the selected candidate. The primary workplace is Aalto University’s Otaniemi campus in Espoo, Finland. The duties of the position are carried out in Finland, with flexible working arrangements available in accordance with Aalto University practices.