Studentship: Untaxed bursary of £16,553 per annum (2017/18 figure including London weighting plus home/EU fees)

The Department of Computing is a leading department of Computer Science among UK Universities, and has consistently been awarded the highest research rating. In the 2014 REF assessment, The Department was ranked third (1st in the Research Intensity table published by The Times Higher), and was rated as "Excellent" in the previous national assessment of teaching quality.

Applications are invited for a PhD student in Big Data Management with focus on Data Compression under the supervision of Dr. Holger Pirk.

Lossless compression plays an important role in managing the increasingly large datasets that arise in modern business, science and public services. The benefits of compression are twofold: on the one hand, it reduces storage and bandwidth costs by reducing data volume. On the other hand, it can benefit performance significantly, as demonstrated in numerous database systems and HPC applications. However, compression strategies are usually "baked into the application", i.e., developed, implemented and tuned for it. This is a labour and cost intensive process.

The goal of this project is to explore the use of compression in a wide range of data-intensive applications, develop new programming models for the use of compression in big-data programs (distributed and single-node) and optimize program execution. Given the wide range of applications, there is significant freedom for an excellent student to explore applications ranging from embedded systems to big-data clusters -- from event processing to machine learning -- from compilers to database systems.

To apply for this position, you will need to have a strong background in at least one of the following areas: data management, compilers, computer architecture or high-performance computing.

Applicants are expected to have a First Class or Distinction Masters level degree, or equivalent, in a relevant scientific or technical discipline, such as computer science or mathematics. Applicants must be fluent in spoken and written English.

The position is fully funded, covering tuition fees, travel funds and a stipend/bursary. The position is available to home and EU students.

To apply for this position, please follow the application guidelines.

In the application form, please write Big Data Compression in the “Proposed Research Topic” field, and Dr. Holger Pirk in the “Proposed Research Supervisor” field. Early applications are encouraged. Informal inquiries about this position are also encouraged and can be directed to Dr. can be directed to Dr. Holger Pirk. For further information see https://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~hlgr/research/openings.

This position will be based at the South Kensington campus in central London.

Applicants are advised to visit the PhD homepage for general information on becoming a PhD student in the Department of Computing.

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