Open Ph.D. Position at Freie Universitaet Berlin

Corporate Semantic Web

AG Corporate Semantic Web (http://www.inf.fu-berlin.de/en/groups/ag-csw/) at the Freie Universitaet Berlin is currently seeking candidates for two positions as a PhD student in a 2-year industrial research project in Semantic Patent Informatics. The project is aiming at the semantic representation and reasoning on patents.

Freie Universitaet Berlin is a leading research institution. It is one of the nine German Elite universities successful in all three funding lines in the federal and state Excellence Initiative. The AG Corporate Semantic Web at the Freie Universitaet Berlin was founded in 2008 and has developed into a challenging and dynamic research group. Our major objective is to establish Semantic technologies as a core pillar of modern enterprise information technology and systems.

We offer

* A stimulating environment of a leading research group in the fields of Semantic Web, formal languages and reasoning, rule-based and ontology-based systems and services
* Excellent ties to research groups worldwide
* Up-to-date infrastructure and resources, including funding for attending international conferences, PhD symposia, summer schools, etc.
* Opportunity to work with internationally established academic and industrial partners
* Multicultural working place with modern infrastructure and facilities

We expect

The ideal candidate holds a very good Master degree (or German diploma degree) in Computer Science or related field and is able to consider both theoretical and practical and implementation aspects in her/his work. Fluent English communication and programming skills are fundamental requirements.

* A strong background in Computer Science or related disciplines
* Willingness to work in an international environment
* The ability to take part in a large-scale international research project with an industry partner
* Willingness to combine formal scientific work with application-oriented research in order to solve real-world problems
* Research interest and expertise in at least one of the areas:  Formal languages and reasoning (Description Logics, Logic Programming, normative legal reasoning), rule and ontology languages, Semantic Web, formal logic-based patent informatics, logic-based natural language processing and knowledge representation.

The position starts as soon as possible and is a full-time position (salary TVOED TV-L 13). Excellent candidates are invited to apply with:

   * Curriculum vitae and copies of degree certificates/transcripts,
   * writing samples/copies of relevant scientific papers (e.g. thesis, etc.),
   * Letters of recommendation.

The university strives to increase the proportion of women in scientific service and therefore particularly welcomes applications from women. Also handicapped applicants, if qualified, will be given preference.

Please send your application by March 28th, 2011 in a printed version indicating in the subject "041950/CSW/SPI" to the following contact.

Contact and application:

Freie Universitaet Berlin
Institute for Computer Science
AG Corporate Semantic Web

Melanie Siering

Königin-Luise-Straße 24-26

D-14195 Berlin