PhD Scholar in Ultra-Massive MIMO for Advanced Cellular Networks

MiFuture

Keysight is participating in the European Commission’s Horizon-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (DN) known as “MiFuture - ultra-massive MIMO for future cell-free heterogeneous networks.”

MiFuture is a consortium of high-profile universities, research institutions, and companies located in Belgium, Finland, France, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. We are hiring one person to join the team in Belgium and pursue a Ph.D. as part of this program. The selected candidate will travel for a period to the UK, Spain, and have a shorter placement in Poland.

MiFuture aims to pave the way towards the implementation of heterogeneous cell-free networks with an ultra-massive number of antennas. These networks will satisfy the throughput, energy efficiency, positioning accuracy, and feasible complexity requirements demanded by the evolution of mobile communications towards 6G. This will facilitate new communication, positioning, and sensing applications and services while striking a balance between spectral and energy efficiency.

As part of the network, the candidate will undergo a specialized training plan, including entrepreneurship and transferable skills, along with advanced specific research topics. The Ph.D. program will be in cooperation with UC3M (Madrid) and KUL (Leuven).

Benefits and Salary:

The Horizon 2020 DN program offers an attractive and highly competitive salary and working conditions. Successful candidates will receive a fixed salary and a living allowance in line with the EC guidelines.

Eligibility Criteria:

As this program is funded by the European Commission under a mobility action, candidates must meet specific eligibility criteria to be considered. The candidate must commence the position between January 1, 2024, and the end of June 2024.

Early-Stage Researchers (ESR):

All recruited researchers must be Early-Stage Researchers. Early-stage researchers are those who, at the time of recruitment by the host, are in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not started or been awarded a doctoral degree. This is measured from the date when they obtain the master's degree that formally entitles them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country where the degree was obtained or in the country where the researcher is recruited, even if a doctorate was never started or envisaged.

Conditions of Mobility of Researchers:

Researchers are required to undertake physical, transnational mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up their appointment. Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organization (in this case, Belgium) for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account. Note that the mobility rule applies to the (first) beneficiary where the researcher is recruited, and not to beneficiaries to which the researcher is sent or seconded.

Skills:

Candidates should hold a Master's degree in EE, RF, Microwave, or relevant equivalent. A very strong interest in pursuing a Ph.D. in an industrial context is essential. The ideal candidate should have theoretical and practical experience in MIMO systems and algorithms, along with a solid understanding of channel modeling concepts, OFDM, and related modulation techniques. Proficiency in English, a willingness to travel as part of the project, and the ability to work independently and within a geographically distributed team are also required.

Contract Duration:

The contract duration is 36 months, with a fixed-term contract starting from the actual start date.