4-year Phd Position in Automatic Sign Language

vor 1 Woche

Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Department of Computational Linguistics Digital Society Initiative Vollzeit
Department of Computational Linguistics / Digital Society Initiative_

4-year PhD position in Automatic Sign Language Processing

60 % (with option to increase through teaching) :Become a part of cutting-edge research in automatic sign language processing at the University of Zurich.

The project:


The PhD position is part of an innovative research project titled "Fundamental linguistic tools for sign language machine translation - SIGMA" at the Digital Society Initiative and the Department for Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich.


SIGMA aims to provide fundamental tools for automatically processing sign languages, with the main goal of improving a higher-level task: sign language machine translation.

Improving machine translation for sign languages is relevant for Swiss and international societies.

While for hearing persons translation technology is mature and usable in every-day situations, such tools do not exist for Deaf sign language users.

Deaf individuals can only be full members of a digital society if translation technology is afforded to them. The project is situated at the intersection between computer science, linguistics and accessibility studies, and therefore is highly interdisciplinary.


As a PhD student in this project, you will be part of a vibrant and supportive research environment that values young scholars' research and careers.


The department:


The Department of Computational Linguistics conducts research and provides teaching in the domains of computational linguistics, language technology, phonetics and speech signal processing as well as digital linguistics.

Employees of the SIGMA project will be affiliated with the "Language Technology for Accessibility" group headed by Dr.

Sarah Ebling, which focuses on the contribution of language technology to accessibility for persons with disabilities and special educational needs.


Your responsibilities:

  • Develop and improve key language technologies for sign language processing, speficially automatic evaluation metrics for sign language machine translation, segmentation or alignment algorithms, machine translation systems.
  • Write a cumulative doctoral dissertation describing the results, composed of at least three scientific articles.
  • Collaborate with team members and other researchers and institutions.
  • Participate in international conferences and public outreach activities.
  • Supervise student assistants in the project
The doctoral project will be co-supervised by Dr. Sarah Ebling and Dr. Mathias Müller.

Your profile:

  • Excellent Master's degree in computational linguistics, computer vision, computer science, AI, or a related discipline
  • Strong programming skills (Python)
  • Theoretical and practical knowledge of machine learning (deep learning) methods, as demonstrated by familiarity with at least one major deep learning framework
  • Experience in computer vision (e.g., image recognition, image segmentation, image generation, video generation); experience in NLP (specifically, machine translation) a plus
  • Proficiency in English (oral and written)
  • Interest in sign languages and sign language linguistics; willingness to engage with the sign language community and to learn at least one sign language
  • Very good communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills

What we offer:

  • Fouryear PhD funding
  • Excellent research conditions (including access to stateoftheart equipment, infrastructure, and shared facilities) in a highly attractive city
  • Friendly working environment in an enthusiastic team
  • The opportunity to participate in international conferences and workshops
  • Salary in accordance with the regulations of the Swiss National Science Foundation (salary starts at CHF 48'686 per year)

Place of work:
Institut für Computerlinguistik, Andreasstrasse, Zürich, Switzerland

Job position:
Dr. Mathias Müller (main contact) and Dr. Sarah Ebling.

PhD Program:
Dr. Sascha Völlmin

Department manager:
Alexandra Bünzli, lic. phil.

  • Phd Position in First Language Acquisition

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Department of Comparative Language Science Vollzeit

    Department of Comparative Language Science_PhD position in First Language AcquisitionThe NCCR is a Swiss National Center of Competence in Research with the goal of creating a new discipline, Evolutionary Language Science, that targets the past and future of language. The center consists of leading scientists from traditionally separated academic domains,...

  • PhD Position in First Language Acquisition

    vor 1 Monat

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich Vollzeit

    Department of Comparative Language SciencePhD Position in First Language Acquisition - Gurung Project80 % The NCCR Evolving Language ) invites applications for one PhD position to work in a project studying and documenting the use and the acquisition of Gurung, a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Western Nepal.The NCCR is a Swiss National Center of Competence...

  • PhD Position in First Language Acquisition

    vor 3 Wochen

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich Vollzeit

    Department of Comparative Language SciencePhD Position in First Language Acquisition - Gurung Project80 % The NCCR Evolving Language ) invites applications for one PhD position to work in a project studying and documenting the use and the acquisition of Gurung, a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Western Nepal.The NCCR is a Swiss National Center of Competence...

  • Phd Position

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich (CH) Vollzeit

    PhD Position in First Language Acquisition Research (80 %)The NCCR is a Swiss National Center of Competence in Research with the goal of creating a new discipline, Evolutionary Language Science, that targets the past and future of language. The center consists of leading scientists from traditionally separated academic domains, which allows us to harvest the...

  • PhD Position in First Language Acquisition Research

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz University of Zurich Vollzeit

    Your responsibilities Employment is at 80% FTE (including 10 % teaching assistant tasks). The position is a training opportunity and the successful candidate is expected to use the remaining unpaid 20 % for their own further training and skill development. Your profile The successful candidates have a background in (general) linguistics, good data...

  • PhD Position in First Language Acquisition Research 80 %

    vor 3 Wochen

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich Vollzeit

    Department of Comparative Language SciencePhD Position in First Language Acquisition Research80 % The NCCR Evolving Language ) invites applications for a PhD position in an interdisciplinary project on the evolution of languages, their structures, and usage patterns over time and space, and under diverse social and population-historical conditions. The...

  • PhD Position in First Language Acquisition Research 80 %

    vor 1 Monat

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich Vollzeit

    Department of Comparative Language SciencePhD Position in First Language Acquisition Research80 % The NCCR Evolving Language ) invites applications for a PhD position in an interdisciplinary project on the evolution of languages, their structures, and usage patterns over time and space, and under diverse social and population-historical conditions. The...

  • Phd Position

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich (CH) Vollzeit

    PhD position in First Language Acquisition (80 %)The NCCR is a Swiss National Center of Competence in Research with the goal of creating a new discipline, Evolutionary Language Science, that targets the past and future of language. The center consists of leading scientists from traditionally separated academic domains, which allows us to harvest the diverse...

  • Phd Position in Palliative Care Within Doctoral

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz University Hospital Zurich, Department of Radiation-Oncology, Competence Center Palliative Care Vollzeit

    University Hospital Zurich, Department of Radiation-Oncology, Competence Center Palliative Care_PhD Position in Palliative Care within Doctoral Progam Clinical Science at the University of Zurich80-100 % :The Competence Center Palliative Care provides special medical care for adult patients with advanced, incurable diseases.It can be helpful through all...

  • Open Phd Position in Computational Chemistry

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Department of Chemistry Vollzeit

    Department of Chemistry_Open PhD position in computational chemistry80 % :A 4-year PhD student position is available in the Luber group at the Department of Chemistry at University of Zurich (Switzerland).Our group focuses on forefront computational methods at the interface of chemistry, biology, physics, and materials science. For more details, see our...

  • Phd Position in Palliative Care Within Doctoral

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz UniversitätsSpital Zürich Vollzeit

    The Competence Center Palliative Care provides special medical care for adult patients with advanced, incurable diseases.It can be helpful through all stages of illness: making medical treatment more tolerable early on and, at later stages, reducing suffering as you live with a life-threatening illness, navigating difficult treatment decisions, and improve...

  • Phd Position On Measures for Reducing

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Department of Political Science Vollzeit

    Department of Political Science_PhD position on measures for reducing flight-related greenhouse gas emissionsThe IPZ offers excellent research support in a vibrant research community and is committed to advancing young scholars' careersThe projectThe PhD position is linked to the project "Successful trajectories for reducing flight-related greenhouse gas...

  • Phd Position

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule (ETH) Zürich Vollzeit

    PhD Position: Personalized Prediction and Prevention of Dropouts in Digital Biomarker Studies100%, Zurich, fixed-termExciting technological advances in wearables and biosensors rapidly transform how we monitor and manage metabolic health beyond finger pricking and blood picks. Instead, passive, wrist-worn data streams hold massive potential to provide...

  • Phd Position

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Institute of Laboratory Animal Science Vollzeit

    Institute of Laboratory Animal Science_PhD position (4 years), program BiomedicineWhat we offer: We offer an attractive academic environment, opportunities for career development and the chance to work in the state-of-the-art Bio Technopark Schlieren. Our location is next door to the university's largest animal husbandry facility, as well as biotech and...

  • Phd Position

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz ISEK - Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies, Popular Culture Studies Vollzeit

    ISEK - Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies,_ Popular Culture Studies_PhD position80 % :The vacant PhD position is located at the Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies of the University of Zurich. The successful PhD student will work in the research project "«Eco-Passions. Coming of Age in the Anthropocene". It examines...

  • Phd Position in Environmental Microbiology:

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Eawag Vollzeit

    Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, is an internationally networked aquatic research institute within the ETH Domain (Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology). Eawag conducts research, education and expert consulting to achieve the dual goals of meeting direct human needs for water and maintaining the function and integrity...

  • Phd Position

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies Vollzeit

    Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies_PhD position60 % :Are you a bioinformatician with strong bioinformatics skills? Do you have a passion for evolutionary biology? If you answer yes to both, a few PhD positions are available in the groups of Dr. Rie Shimizu-Inatsugi and of Prof. Dr. Kentaro Shimizu at the University of Zurich.Our...

  • Open Phd Student Position in Theoretical Chemistry

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Department of Chemistry Vollzeit

    Department of Chemistry_Open PhD Student position in theoretical chemistry60 % :A 4-year PhD student position is available in the Luber group at the Department of Chemistry at University of Zurich (Switzerland). Our group focuses on forefront computational methods at the interface of chemistry, biology, physics, and materials science and has broad experience...

  • Phd Position in Indian

    vor 1 Woche

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, Department of Indian Studies Vollzeit

    Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, Department of Indian Studies_PhD position in Indian / South Asian StudiesYour responsibilities: Development of an independent research project with a focus on culture, religion, literature, philosophy of India and their historicalsocial contexts based on original sources Support for the research and outreach...

  • PhD position in Digital Health 80 %

    vor 3 Wochen

    Zürich, Zürich, Schweiz Universität Zürich Vollzeit

    Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care / Digital Society initiativePhD position in Digital Health80 % (full-time doctorate) The Digital & Mobile Health Group is an interdisciplinary research team at the Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, with close ties to the Digital Society Initiative of the University of Zurich. We are...