Research Position

Useful Logics, Types, Rewriting, and their Automation (ULTRA) Group
Computing and Electrical Engineering Department
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Description of the Position

A research position is available on an EC-funded project working under the supervision of Joe Wells. The position is in the ULTRA (Useful Logics, Types, Rewriting, and their Automation) group in the Department of Computing and Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The work will be done in close coordination with the DART (Dynamic Assembly, Reconfiguration, and Type-checking) consortium (Genova Univ., HWU, Imperial Coll., and Torino Univ.) as well as the Church Project (Boston Coll., Boston Univ., Harvard Univ., HWU, Wellesley Coll., etc.).

The researcher will probably help with some of the following tasks:

• Designing new type systems for compositional (modular) analysis of systems that may involve one or more aspects of concurrency, mobility, modularity, objects, run-time code generation, etc.
• Designing analysis algorithms for the new type systems.
• Designing theories (e.g., "calculi") for reasoning about the meaning of dynamic software assembly, i.e., doing in a non-traditional order one or more of type checking, code generation, linking, loading, etc.
• Making software systems incorporating the new type systems, algorithms, and calculi.
• Writing scientific reports on the work done.

The position is initially for 1 to 2 years, with extensions up to 3 years total possible depending on salary, experience, performance, and funding. Applications to spend a shorter period (e.g., the sabbatical leave of an established academic) will be considered, but the research area is pretty much predetermined. The salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience in the range from 21290 GBP to 26229 GBP per year. It is preferred that the researcher will start in the period from 2002-01-01 to 2002-03-01. It is preferred that before starting the researcher will have completed a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline within Computer Science. Applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will be considered.

The researcher will probably use some of the following knowledge areas:

• Formal calculi for reasoning about the meaning of computer systems (including computer programs), especially those with aspects of (a) modules, linking, and loading, (b) concurrency, (c) mobility, (d) staged compilation, (e) objects, (f) resource usage, etc.
• Analysis of systems represented in formal calculi.
• Constraint solving and unification.
• Type systems, especially those with intersection and union types.
• Programming languages used for any of the above.

Applying for the Position

To formally apply for this position, please do the following before the closing date of 2001-11-02:

• Arrange for 3 letters of reference to be sent as soon as possible. If (by mistake) someone tells you the letters are not needed yet, please have the letters sent anyway, because no one will be chosen for an interview until after we see the letters. See below for what we hope to see in a letter of reference.
• Send the following yourself as soon as possible:
  • your complete curriculum vitae,
  • a brief statement (one paragraph is enough) explaining why you think your research accomplishments and interests would be a good match for the job,
  • web pointers to or paper copies of from 0 to 3 publications of yours which you think are relevant, and
  • contact details for the people writing your letters of reference.
• Contact the Heriot-Watt Personnel Office and get them to send you an "application pack". This contains an application form, an equal opportunities monitoring form, information for applicants with disabilities, and some additional information about Heriot-Watt and the position.
• Fill out and return the application form and the equal opportunities monitoring form. (If your curriculum vitae is well constructed, then some of the information requested on the application form will be redundant, in which case it is reasonable to just write "see c.v." in the blanks.)
• Although not required, it will be appreciated if you inform Joe Wells as soon as possible that you are applying so that he knows to ask our personnel office for your application materials immediately after they arrive.
• Anyone who might need a work permit if hired (usually someone who is not a citizen of an EEA country) should also do the following. In addition to possibly being e-mailed or faxed, each letter of reference should also be sent by post on official-looking stationery paper and should include details on your whereabouts over the last two years. A work permit application also needs copies of any degree certificates, so it is a good idea to send those also.

Please include the reference code 133/01/L in all communications to help prevent your application from getting mixed up. Please convert Microsoft Word documents to a public, standard, and non-proprietary format, e.g., PDF, HTML, or PostScript. PDF is best, because some of our staff will encounter difficulties with HTML or PostScript.

Please ask the people writing letters of reference for you to include details of:

• the capacity in which they know you,
• your skills, abilities and performance in relation to the post applied for,
• your employment record including details of your role and service dates,
• your record in terms of attendance, timeliness, and discipline,
• their view of your suitability for the post as a whole, in light of the attached details and their knowledge of your experience and abilities,
• any further relevant information which would assist us in making an appointment.

Informal inquiries should be directed to Joe Wells at:

Formal applications and/or requests for materials for completing a formal application should be directed to the Heriot-Watt Personnel Office at: