[visionlist] Job: Wellcome Trust Post-Doctoral Researcher (Dublin): Computer Vision/Pattern Recognition

[paul.whelan at dcu.ie]

Job Title
Wellcome Trust Post-Doctoral Researcher (Dublin): Computer
Vision/Pattern Recognition – Automated Landmarking, Analysis and
Classification of Morphometric Facial Features.

Project Background
The Face3D consortium is funded by a Wellcome Trust grant to focus on
the analysis of three-dimensional facial dysmorphology. The team is
made up of researchers from University of Glasgow (Statistics [Lead],
Dental School, Computing Science), Dublin City University (Centre for
Image Processing and Analysis), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
(Neuroscience), University of Limerick (Statistics) and Institute of
Technology, Tralee (Mathematics).
We are currently seeking a postdoctoral research assistant to support
this work: he/she will be expected to work in close cooperation with
their counterpart in the University of Glasgow.

Research Question
This research aims to provide tools to extract and analyse important
and potentially useful quantitative information on facial shape from
three-dimensional images. We are identifying anatomical landmarks in a
more automatic manner than is currently possible, by using techniques
of differential geometry to characterize local surface shape and match
this with the definitions of landmarks of interest. This will be
extended into a quantitative characterization of anatomical curves,
and of the entire facial surface, again using differential geometry
and template matching on the image data at its highest resolution.
Appropriate statistical models will then be constructed to allow this
information to be used to weigh the evidence for effects of interest.
Important special cases will be the use of functional data analysis
for anatomical curves and the construction of measures of asymmetry
(Post-Doctoral Researcher (Glasgow).
These computational and statistical tools will be applied to two
important applications areas in the characterization of the facial
shape of schizophrenia patients and of patients undergoing
orthognathic surgery. The first of these will provide valuable
information on the biological processes which underlie schizophrenia.
The second will enable surgical outcomes to be assessed in a
quantitative and highly informative manner.

Location/Management
This is a joint appointment between the Royal College of Surgeons in
Ireland (RCSI) and Dublin City University (DCU). The post will be
based in Dublin but will involve travel between the UK and Ireland.
The successful candidate will report to Prof. John L Waddington
(Professor of Neuroscience, Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, RCSI)
and Prof. Paul F Whelan (Professor of Computer Vision, Centre for
Image Processing and Analysis, DCU).
The candidate will be expected to work in close cooperation with the
wider Face3D consortium.

Duties and responsibilities
This research stream will involve the automatic identification,
analysis and classification of anatomical features. The starting point
for fitting generic facial shapes, or indeed extracting any other
information from raw facial data, is the identification of key
anatomical landmarks. This is currently done manually by trained and
experienced clinicians and scientists and it is a laborious process.
We are developing methods of automating as much of this process as
possible. The Centre for Image Processing & Analysis (CIPA) at Dublin
City University has already developed global 2D and 3D shape
extraction techniques. The aim will be to combine these with available
methods for matching local surfaces to identify the relevant
landmarks. A further stage of the process will involve the automatic,
or semi-automatic, extraction of key anatomical curves, such as the
nasal ridge, nasal base, upper lip, etc.

The candidate will also be involved in the management of patient data
at various sites in Ireland.

Qualifications
The candidate would be expected to have a PhD in Computer
Vision/Pattern Recognition (or a related computer science, engineering
or analytical area) plus significant post-doctoral and/or industrial
research experience. A record of international collaboration, funding
acquisition, research leadership and research management would be an
advantage. Experience with 3D laser scanning / stereo-photogrammetry
systems and/or geometric morphometrics would also be considered an
advantage. Post-doctoral candidates should demonstrate the capacity to
be productive researchers. As part of the selection process
candidates’ publication records will be carefully considered. A
self-starting attitude, good presentation skills, teamwork and an
eagerness to promote your research are essential.

In addition to their research and technical role, the candidate will
be involved in data collection and management. This will require the
appropriate interpersonal skills to deal with a wide range of
patients.

Contract Duration/Salary
Up to one year in the first instance. The salary, typically in the
range €37,750 - €46,255 p.a., will be commensurate with experience and
qualifications. Please quote Ref: Wellcome-Dublin-PDR clearly on your
application.

Application Procedure
The Face3D consortium is committed to research excellence. Our posts
offer an exciting opportunity for successful candidates to tackle
fundamental research problems within a stimulating multi-disciplinary
research environment with state of the art facilities and strong links
to the national and international research community. The successful
candidates will join an active and expanding computer vision and
biomedical imaging systems research program. Candidates should forward
their CV and contact details for 3 referees to either of the below, by
28 September 2012.

For additional background details on the groups associated with this
post please refer to:

www.rcsi.ie & www.cipa.dcu.ie

Informal enquiries in relation to the posts above should be directed to:

Prof. John Waddington
Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics,
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
E-mail: jwadding at rcsi.ie

or

Prof. Paul Whelan
Centre for Image Processing & Analysis, RINCE,
Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland.
E-mail: cipa.admissions at dcu.ie

-- 
Prof. Paul F. Whelan PhD FIET
Professor of Computer Vision
Centre for Image Processing & Analysis
Dublin City University
www.cipa.dcu.ie

-- 
Prof. Paul F. Whelan PhD FIET
Professor of Computer Vision
Centre for Image Processing & Analysis
Dublin City University
www.cipa.dcu.ie