Research Associate in Signal Processing for mmWave Radio Systems (EEE)

Contract Type: Fixed term until 29 February 2024

Faculty: Faculty of Engineering

A Research Associate position is available on the Academic Research Next Generation Information Networks (AR-NGIN) project to research and develop millimetre-wave wireless communications systems operating in the 24-30 GHz frequency bands. 

AR-NGIN is a prestigious multi-million-pound project funded by the UK government as part of its research programme focused on millimetre-wave communications for disaster and emergency relief events. NGIN’s vision is to research and develop the next generation of intelligent and ubiquitous radio frequency (RF) systems, integrating communications and sensing functions in a hardware, spectrum and energy efficient way to realise the full potential of millimetre-wave spectrum usage up to 30 GHz. 

AR-NGIN’s partners are researching and developing new technologies and techniques for RF systems aimed at improving communication reliability, resilience and energy efficiency. NGIN’s partners include the Universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Heriot Watt, Leeds, Queens University Belfast, Sheffield and UCL. 

A key challenge in future RF systems is the design of waveforms that support communications, radar and/or sensing in radios with configurable multiband and wideband capabilities at millimetre-wave frequencies. This requires challenging advances in both the transmission waveforms and the millimetre-wave hardware technology used in future radio systems. The main objectives of the research at Sheffield relevant to the post are to:

1. Develop new waveforms to perform multiple tasks such as communications, radar or sensing when operating over millimetre-wave spectrum.
2. Investigate how the new waveforms can be optimised for use in millimetre-wave radios with configurable multiband and wideband capabilities.
3. Integrate the new waveforms into a 5G new radio (5GNR) over-the-air hardware-in-the-loop millimetre-wave testbed and characterise the system performance. 

The Research Associate will work on the design, implementation and testing of the new waveforms using Sheffield’s 5G software-defined radio testbed operating in the 24-30 GHz frequency bands. The main roles of the Research Associate are to: a) design new waveforms for joint communications, radar and/or sensing; b) optimize the waveform design for use in configurable multiband and wideband millimetre-wave radios; and c) incorporate the new waveforms into a 5GNR over-the-air hardware-in-the-loop millimetre-wave testbed and evaluate overall system performance in terms of ACI, EVM and BLER  measurements, for example. 

The NGUN project strongly contributes to the University’s strategy to maintain its position as one of the leading centres for radio systems research in the UK focusing on 5G and 6G communications systems. 

The University of Sheffield is one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK. The University’s Total Reward Package includes a competitive salary, a generous Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlement, as well as access to a range of learning and development courses to support your personal and professional development. 

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

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