Vacancy: Researcher in computational linguistics with scientific programming expertise (Bolzano, Italy)

RESEARCHER IN COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS WITH SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMMING EXPERTISE

The Institute for Applied Linguistics (IAL) at Eurac Research (Bolzano, Italy) is looking for a Researcher in computational linguistics with scientific programming expertise to implement and adapt software of interest for the IAL to support needs such as selecting, installing and adapting desktop or online tools to explore and annotate textual data or to process text data for linguistic purposes using well-established libraries. The tasks of the new Researcher will also depend on the experience (s)he will bring to the team and how it complements the skills of the researchers in the LT group (s)he will join. 

One of the first tasks of the selected candidate will be the development of a gamified web application for data crowdsourcing in the context of the Zeit.shift project (https://all4ling.eurac.edu/zeitshift/). However, the new collaborator will become a key figure in the coming linguaXlab linguistic services centre of the Institute, where (s)he will implement and apply technologies related to the Computational Linguistics and Digital Humanities activities of the LT group with a mid to long term perspective. This includes maintaining existing systems and platforms, localising CLARIN services (https://clarin.eurac.edu/), working with language data from South Tyrol and contributing to the growth of the Institute through the development of new projects and the pursuit of funding opportunities.

Overall, we are looking for a cooperative and proactive team member with an interdisciplinary and applied research profile. The ideal candidate would have a sound technical background and previous working experience within a linguistics/humanities research context and be equipped with a decisive technology/infrastructure awareness and related expertise.

Tasks:

• Develop (gamified) web applications.
• Upgrade and maintain desktop and online tools already in use at the IAL with new features.
• Create or upgrade scripts to process textual data.
• Document all code and scripts to ensure their long-term maintenance.
• Workflow documentation for technical pipelines.
• Technical consulting and requirements specification for web portals, for text searches, and citizen science interaction (i.e. required data formats, portability/reusability/adaptability, etc.).
• Participation in the Institute’s general research activities and in activities of the language technology group including scientific publications, funding acquisition, dissemination activities, etc.

Requirements:

• MSc/MA/Diploma in Computer Science or other relevant field, or a BSC in Computer Science or other relevant field and 3 years of work experience as a programmer.
• A record of past relevant activities (documented by, for instance, freely accessible code repositories, recommendation letters; Stack Overflow or GitHub profiles advantageous etc.) allowing us to evaluate the extent of the candidate’s skills.
• Knowledge of at least two programming languages among Python, Perl, and Java. Familiarity with other relevant languages such as Ruby or languages used for text processing tools is a plus.
• Experience with building back-end/front-end web applications (JavaScript/PHP/Node.js, SQL, etc.) using database frameworks and server scripting.
• Good command of English, and both German and Italian (or the willingness to learn and become proficient in German and/or Italian).
• Outstanding social, organisational & communicative skills, including careful scheduling and excellent management of tasks.
• Ability to work in a research team and in a flexible and interdisciplinary setting.
• Experience within interdisciplinary projects involving several partners and geared towards humanities infrastructure and/or supporting the work of humanities researchers is a strong advantage.
• Willingness to move to South Tyrol or to its vicinity. 

We offer:

Eurac Research offers competitive salaries that are calculated on a pre-established grid rewarding qualifications and experiences with regular increases. We foresee a full-time position for two years with a possible extension to a permanent contract. If the selected candidate is interested, a part-time contract of at least 70% could also be considered.

Eurac Research is a dynamic, innovative and eco-friendly workplace where great research is performed. It strives to create an environment in which its employees feel comfortable, appreciated and considered and where they can express their best potential. As such, it offers numerous advantages and benefits that certainly contribute to its high rank among the official classification of the "Great places to work" in Italy.

How to apply:

For more information on the application process, please visit Eurac’s dedicated portal at: https://eurac.onboard.org/jobs/p4MgE7eo?campaign=W6mO27eM

Application deadline is November 30^th, 2021.