Job offer: Post-Doctoral and PhD Positions in Computational Modelling at The Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion-IIT

We received this info from Technion:

The Architecture and Planning Faculty at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, is recruiting a postdoctoral/PhD positions to work in the EU-funded research project ECOLOPES – a game-changing design approach for regenerative urban ecosystems. 

1. The position for post doc is initially for two years (subject to successful review at the end of the first year) with a possible extension for an additional two years by mutual agreement. Salary and benefits are competitive and consistent with the Technion policy and applicant experience. 
2. The position for PhD is for three years. Generous scholarship that includes tuition and living expenses is included.

ECOLOPES is a HORIZON 2020-FET OPEN funded research project proposing a radical change for city development: we aim at urbanisation to be planned and designed such that nature – including humans - can co-evolve within the city. The goal of the project is to transform the building envelope into an ecolopes, a multi-species living space for four types of inhabitants: humans, plants, animals, and microbiota. 

The advertised positions will be critical in developing the ECOLOPES Computational Modelling and Simulation Environment, which will make knowledge available for design. The overall goal of ECOLOPES is to provide the technology that enables an iterative design process based on the simulation of the dynamic development of the ecolope, and its various subsystems and their interactions. It builds on the EIM Ontology and will facilitate a radically new level of interaction between architecture, urban planning, ecology, and environmental medicine.

Your tasks will focus on:

1. Develop the ECOLOPES simulation environment that allows to suggest design solutions and analyse trade-offs between building design and ecological performance based on algorithmic tools implemented in Rhinoceros.
2. Design a multi-criterion modelling and evaluation methodology to address architectural requirements and demands of inhabitants. 
3. Develop the sorting and measuring of possible envelope scenarios based on the definition of key performance indicators (KPIs). 

The skills and qualifications we require are: 

• For Post Doc - a PhD degree in one of the following areas or a related area earned no more than five years prior to the start of the post-doc: Architecture, Computational design, Landscape Architecture, Ecological design, Environmental Engineering
• For PhD - a MsC/M.arch degree in one of the following areas or a related area earned no more than three years prior to the start of the PhD: Architecture, Computational design, Landscape Architecture
• Excellent 3D modelling and simulation skills preferably in Rhinoceros
• Programming experience, e.g. with Grasshopper and Python
• A track record of research and publication
• Ability and experience in academic writing and oral communication
• Fully fluent in writing, reading and speaking English

Additional skills that we are looking for include: 

• Genuine enthusiasm for research
• Ability and experience leading and working with teams

Key information:

We offer an interesting and challenging job with an international team at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. ECOLOPES is comprised of 6 partners, including; the TECHNION in Haifa, Israel, Technical University of Munich in Germany, the University of Genoa in Italy, the Technical University of Vienna, Austria, McNeel Europe, based in Barcelona, Spain, and Studio Animal-Aided Design in Germany.

The TECHNION research team will be led by; Prof. Shany Barath (The D.DLAB [Disrupt.Design] for applicable research. Prof. Yasha Grobman (The T-Code lab) and Prof. Assaf Shwartz (The Human and biodiversity research lab).

In your application, you should send: 

- A cover letter addressing your motivation and experience in relation to the project (one A4 side) 

- CV (including details of qualifications, relevant experience and/or publications) 

- Contact details of 2-3 referees. 

 

Application deadline is the 26th of February 2021.  

To apply, please send application letters in PDF format by email to barathshany@technion.ac.il.