Simulation engineer for 6GSMART project

The Mobile Wireless Internet (MWI) team at i2CAT is looking for a talented Research Engineer to join us for a short but impactful project!

We need you to dive deep into ns-3 simulations and help us make Wi-Fi reliable enough for safety-critical industrial environments. This isn't just theory, you'll be working on advanced extensions (like MAC and TSN layers) and evaluating how to implement a technology called FRER (Frame Replication) over multiple wireless networks.

Your mission: prove that wireless can be trusted for industrial automation.

Specifically, the researcher will evaluate the applicability of the Frame Replication and Elimination for Reliability (FRER) over multiple WLANs. To carry out this work, the researcher will set up an emulation testbed combining ns3 in emulation mode and an OPC-UA software stack that generates safety-critical industrial traffic. Using this testbed the researcher will evaluate the gains in reliability achieved when applying FRER to wireless environments, and evaluate an algorithm that dynamically decides when FRER needs to be activated or deactivated.

The results of the evaluation carried out by the researcher will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal or conference.

The selected researcher will be responsible for:

• Setting up and maintaining the emulation environment that integrates ns3 and the OPC-UA stack
• Implementing the algorithms proposed by the MWI group over the emulated testbed
• Carry out experiments and analyze the obtained data
• Lead one publication derived from the work carried out in the project

This position is funded by the project 6GSmart and the subprojects:

• 6G para los sistemas de producción ciber físicos - El cloud continuo industrial (6GSMART-ICC) referencia TSI-063000-2021-9
• 6G para los sistemas de producción ciber físicos - Servicios de manufactura avanzados (6GSMART-S) referencia TSI-063000-2021-14
• 6G para los sistemas de producción ciber físicos - KPIs extremos y automatización "zero touch" (6GSMART-EZ) referencia TSI-063000-2021-15
• 6G para los sistemas de producción ciber físicos (6GSMART-EXP) referencia TSI-063000-2021-16

All projects are included within the framework of the coordinated project “Tecnología 6G para los sistemas ciberfísicos de producción inteligente".

Estos proyectos se financian con cargo al Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia (PRTR), convocatoria: UNICO-5G I+D: Programa de Universalización de Infraestructuras Digitales para la Cohesión – 2021 financiado por el Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital y la “Unión Europea-NextGenerationEU”, por un período previsto inicial desde el 01/01/2022 hasta el 31/12/2025, de acuerdo a la fecha de la prórroga concedida.

Who are we?

The i2CAT Foundation is a non-profit research and innovation center that promotes mission-driven R&D activities on advanced Internet architectures, applications, and services. More than 15 years of international research define our expertise in the fields of 5G, IoT, VR, and Immersive Technologies, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, AI, and Digital Social Innovation. The center partners with companies, public administration, academia, and end-users to leverage this knowledge in order to meet real social and business challenges.

The greatest value of i2CAT is the talent of the people who make up our human team. We enjoy a team of people from more than 13 different nationalities and work every day to create and foster a work environment where we all feel comfortable creating, innovating and growing.

Want to know more? Visit our webpage! www.i2cat.net

What will you enjoy?

• Work from our offices or from home, whichever works best for you. We only ask for one day in person at the office to coordinate with the rest of the team.
• This is a full-time vacancy.
• We have a flexible work schedule respecting your work-life balance.
• Reduced working hours on Fridays and in July and August.
• Fix + variable salary based on objectives.
• You decide wether you preferr to receive your salary in 12 or 14 payments.
• Optional benefits: Configure your salary according to your needs. We offer you the option of restaurant vouchers, public transport vouchers, nursery services, and medical insurance.
• Annual leave of 27 working days.
• If you are interested, you can participate in events of your sector.
• You will work with a laptop. You can choose your operative system, Mac, Linux or Windows.
• Company social and team-building events (virtual & in-person).
• You can develop your own and personal training programme with our support.
• We will work so that you have a career plan to promote your growth and development.

Where will you do it?

At i2CAT we already have an established ‘work-from-home’ policy for some time. You can work from home or from the office, whichever suits you best. We expect that you attend the office one day per week to stay connected with your team and to engage with other colleagues

If you decide to come to the office, we are located in Zona Universitària, next to the Campus Nord of the UPC, within a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment. It is a very well-connected area (metro, tram, bus) with bars and restaurants around.

Our offices are designed with an open-office concept where everything is light and transparency. We have a variety of workspaces so that you don't have to be at the same table all day.

i2CAT was granted the "HR Excellence in Research" award by the European Commission in 2018, recognizing our commitment to aligning HR practices with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct. As part of the HRS4R strategy, we ensure Open, Transparent, and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) in all selection processes.

Diversity is key to progress and innovation, and at the i2CAT Foundation, we actively work to create an inclusive and equitable environment where everyone can develop their full potential. That’s why we are committed to plurality and aim to increase the number of people with functional diversity within our team.  

We seek talented individuals with diverse perspectives to enrich our team. In our selection processes, we are committed to promoting female talent and are particularly interested in the experience of women and other underrepresented groups in the scientific and technological fields. This will help us be better prepared to tackle complex challenges. If candidates have similar qualifications, priority will be given to those belonging to one of these groups.  

We know that talent manifests in many different ways, and we are eager to discover new perspectives!  

If what you’ve read sounds good to you... let’s have a coffee, and we’ll tell you more! As part of the recruitment team, I would be happy to meet you, hear about your experience, and see how you could fit into our team.  

And if you liked it but this isn’t the right opportunity for you, maybe you know someone who would be a perfect fit and whom you’d like to recommend!