PhD position - Time Sensitive Network (TSN) over wireless networks in industrial environments

The focus of the PhD consists in proposing and evaluating extensions to the 5GNR and IEEE 802.11 technologies to support time sensitive services. TSN support is an important topic being considered in the standardization of 5GNR in 3GPP release 17 and the IEEE 802.11be (also known as extremely high throughput, the basis of the forthcoming Wi-Fi 7).
In industrial environments, there are many use cases where communications between different elements must comply with strict timing requirements (e.g. safety systems or closed-loop regulatory systems). Modern wired networking solutions are capable of carrying that kind of time-sensitive data. However, wiring potentially thousands of sensors and actuators in future industry environments is costly, and many times even unfeasible (e.g. flammable, explosive, or very hot environments). This is why wireless technologies are starting to become a firm candidate for enabling communications within industrial processes, even though the nature of wireless channels raises many challenges to the implementation of the concept of time-sensitive networking. These are the type of challenges this project will tackle. In this sense, the selected candidate will carry out a PhD at the Mobile Wireless Internet group in i2CAT, Barcelona. The topic of the PhD is "Time Sensitive Network (TSN) over wireless networks in industrial environments", and is funded by the ITN MSCA H2020 project 5GSmartFact (webpage-TBD). The selected candidate will be part of a network of 14 Early-Stage Researchers (ESR) funded by the project, benefiting from multiple training and research activities.

The objectives of the PhD include:
1) Definition of protocol extensions to enable Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) over wireless networks, including IEEE 802.11 and 3GPP 5GNR.
2) Integration of wireless TSN hops in end-to-end IEEE 802.1 TSN networks in factory environments.
3) Definition and evaluation of MAC level scheduling algorithm development to guarantee SLA of TSN flows over wireless TSN links.
4) Design of a management framework for joint setup of TSN flows in hybrid wired-wireless environments
The expected outcomes of the PhD include:
1) Development of an ns3 based simulation environment supporting TSN extensions over 802.11/5GNR in representative factory environments.
2) Definition and evaluation of TSN scheduling algorithms and protocol extensions
3) Prototyping and evaluation in testbed environments
4) Publications in top-tier conferences/journals
5) Patents/standardization contributions with industrial advisors

As part of the PhD the selected candidate will take part in two secondments of 9 months each, where the student will develop complementary research also focusing on wireless TSN. Secondments will be hosted by NEC Network Laboratories in Heidelberg, Germany, and ABB in Sweden.
The student will be enrolled in the Doctoral degree(s): UPC doctoral programme "Network Engineering"

Supervisors at I2CAT/UPC will be: Dr. Daniel Camps Mur (I2CAT) and Dr. Eduard Garcia Villegas (UPC)
Supervisor at NEC Network Laboratories: Dr. Vincenzo Sciancalepore
Supervisor at ABB: Dr. Krister Landernas

In addition to this platform, please submit your application also through the project website (https://5gsmartfact.upc.edu/job-offers), following the instructions there.

Who we are:

i2CAT Foundation is a non-profit research and innovation centre that promotes mission oriented R&D activities on advanced Internet architectures, applications and services. The centre stands for a new open innovation framework, fostering the collaboration between companies, public administration, the academic environment and end-users.

i2CAT's activities span the areas of Research, playing a key role in the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation; Strategic Projects, leading local initiatives that strengthen the digital policies of public administration, and Technology Transfer, fostering R&D collaboration with companies to develop innovative market-oriented solutions.

Want to know more? Visit our webpage!

What do we offer:

- You will be part of a multicultural team. We have a fun loving and friendly international work environment.
- Be in contact and work with cutting-edge technology
- Work in challenging R&D projects
- Flexible working schedule - We know you have a life outside of work and we will work with you to make sure it's kept that way
- Fridays afternoon off
- Intensive work schedule in July & August
- Home-office option
- Open space office in Barcelona
- Discounted Gym-access
- 25 vacation days per year
- Casual dress code
- Let us know which trainings you need
- You will have the opportunity to attend tech conferences and events.

The i2CAT Foundation seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and, therefore explicitly, encourages women to apply.

The i2CAT Foundation seeks to increase the number of persons with disabilities among its workforce, and therefore explicitly encourages this collective to apply.