We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a new EPSRC project, which will develop transformative approaches to music processing by hearing aids. This will be done through the organisation of a series of open signal processing challenges. 1 in 6 people in the UK has a hearing loss. Poorer hearing makes music harder to appreciate. Hearing aids often work poorly for music because they are optimised for speech. While some devices have music programs, the use and efficacy of these is mixed.
You will be conducting research on the latest advances in machine learning methods for music processing and perception, with a focus on those with a hearing impairment. You will work in close collaboration with a team spanning four UK universities (Leeds, Nottingham, Salford, Sheffield) and take a leading role in the organisation of a series of international machine learning challenges. Close collaboration with University of Sheffield, including frequent visits, will be part of the job. Project partners are: Google, BBC R&D, RNID, Logitech, Sonova and Oldenberg University. The ability to work effectively with both internal colleagues and external collaborators is essential.
Your work will also be published as part of an open-source toolkit designed to make hearing research more accessible to the music processing and machine learning communities. You will be expected to disseminate research via conferences and journals.
You will be based in The Acoustics Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford. The research centre is internationally renowned for its expertise in acoustics and vibration. It is one of the largest and longest established acoustics groups in the World and the largest group in the North-West of the UK. The Acoustics Research Centre has provided two impact case studies for REF 2021 and a third of the papers for UoA 13 submission. The Centre has a long track record of carrying out research in sound perception, accessibility and signal processing.
Informal enquiries: t.j.cox@salford.ac.uk
Fixed term: 27 months.
Start date 1st June 2022
At the University of Salford we are committed to an inclusive approach to promoting equality and diversity.