Vacancies

Postdoctoral Researcher in Responsible Systems Development

Lero | The Irish Software Research Centre, NUI Galway

Ref. No. NUIG RES 180-22

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Responsible Systems Development with Lero – the Irish Software Research Centre at the National University of Ireland, Galway.   The position is available immediately and has a duration of two years.

Background:

Responsible software refers not just to the final software product that is produced but also “the designing, developing and deploying of that software”[1]. In other fields the use of inappropriate controls and time management techniques have been shown to have a detrimental impact on stress, mental health and general wellbeing. This is particularly relevant given the rarely questioned assumption that our world is aggressively faster, more evanescent, than ever before. Our every move is dictated by digital calendars, our time spent responding to over-flowing email inboxes. Research shows that productivity apps and tools promise to manage our time more effectively but have little or no impact. In software development we have seen the rise of “high-speed” flow and agile methods and the “fail fast” lean start-up movement, all of which are deployed with good intentions but may create underlying issues like those mentioned above. Such issues are particularly prevalent in software development and the IT industry generally, which are generally typified by long working hours, and significant pressure to deliver software quickly.

The proposed research will identify these issues, resolve or help resolve them and provide new software development methods, or guidelines for existing methods, that are more considered in terms of how they deal with the nuances of control and time, resulting in more ‘responsible’ methods and development communities. These results will pave the way to a new generation of methods applicable to how software will be developed in the next decades.

The Lero team at NUI Galway adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to examining various issues regarding the complex relationship between time and technology.

Job Description:

The successful candidate will work with the team of postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates under the supervision of Prof. Kieran Conboy at NUI Galway. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to publish in the top-ranked journals, and must have a strong publication record as well as excellent writing skills. Furthermore, he/she is expected to actively participate in new research funding opportunities, such as the development of research proposals. The postdoctoral researcher must be a motivated self-starter, as well as being focused and exacting in their work ethic.

Duties:

• To conduct qualitative and quantitative research.
• To engage with various stakeholders and project partners (this may include regular onsite visits, workshops, project reports, and coauthor research papers).
• To publish research in top ranked journals and conferences.
• To co-ordinate research grant proposal writing.
• Attend and network at relevant conferences and meetings hosted by relevant professional institutions and other universities as appropriate.
• To carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
• The successful applicant will have funding to avail of a range of training and development opportunities designed to support their personal career development plans.

Qualifications:

Essential Requirements:

• D in software engineering or information systems
• Relevant experience in an area of relevance to the project.
• Excellent communications skills, both verbally as well as in writing.
• A track record of publications, ideally in premier software engineering journals such as Transactions in Software Engineering or Transactions in Software Engineering Methodology
• Strong coordination, organisational and management skills.

Desirable Requirements:

• Good record of services to, and participation in, the academic community.
• Good dissemination skills targeting non-academic audiences (industry-focused).

Postdoctoral Salary:  

€39,523 – €40,083per annum pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts (public sector pay policy rules pertaining to new entrants will apply).

Start date: Position is available from September 1^st 2022.

Further information on research and working at NUI Galway is available on Research at NUI Galway

For information on moving to Ireland please see www.euraxess.ie

Further information about Lero can be found at www.lero.ie

Informal enquiries concerning the post may be made to Prof. Kieran Conboy at Lero, National University of Ireland Galway – kieran.conboy@nuigalway.ie

To Apply:

Applications to include a covering letter, CV, and the contact details of three referees should be sent, via e-mail (in word or PDF only) to Courtney Yanta: Courtney.Yanta@nuigalway.ie

Please put reference number NUIG RES 180-22in subject line of e-mail application.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm on 29^th July  2022

National University of Ireland, Galway is an equal opportunities employer.

All positions are recruited in line with Open, Transparent, Merit (OTM) and Competency based recruitment