Two PhD students on Non-Verbal Behavior and Attention sensing in the wild F/M

Role Summary

The Perception and Activity Understanding group seeks two highly motivated PhD students to join an innovative SNSF funded project focused on developing advanced AI models for real world social behavior understanding. While current computational attention models have traditionally focused on framing the task as a pure machine learning problem predicting the pixel 2D gaze target location of a scene person from an image, this project aims to capture the broader phenomenological aspects of where and why people look, integrating gaze with other social cues in natural, dynamic environments. This contrasts with previous studies which had modeled gaze in tandem with other behavioral cues only in very  restricted settings.

Leveraging cutting-edge deep learning methods, including recent PAU team contributions, the project will analyze complex social interactions in daily scenes. This includes both individual-level cues (e.g., gaze target, head gestures, emotions, attentiveness) and interpersonal dynamics (e.g., social gaze, group identification, conversational activities) through a unified multimodal, multi-task framework.

Successful candidates will work on key tasks such as dataset creation, model design, and benchmarking, addressing these challenges in diverse, unstructured settings. Main research areas include: 1) unified deep learning for head, facial, and upper body behavior recognition, including human-object interactions and audio processing; 2) models for attention states and social relations analysis; and 3) machine learning strategies such as multi-task learning, unsupervised learning, and distillation to unify the modeling of these social behaviors.

Your Profile

The ideal PhD candidates will hold an MS degree in computer science, engineering, physics, or applied mathematics. A solid foundation in statistics, linear algebra, signal processing, machine learning, and programming is essential, with mandatory experience in deep learning. Successful applicants will demonstrate strong analytical abilities and excellent written and oral communication skills.

These PhD positions are fully funded for 4 years, contingent on steady progress, and are expected to lead to a PhD dissertation. Selected candidates will be enrolled as doctoral students at EPFL, subject to acceptance by the Electrical Engineering Doctoral School (EDEE) at EPFL (http://phd.epfl.ch/applicants). The anticipated start date is within the first semester of 2025, with salaries according to EPFL standards.

Screening of applications will begin on December 1, 2024, and will continue until the positions are filled.

How to apply

Please provide the following information, as two separate pdf files:

1. File 1: (i) updated CV (ii) grades from Bachelor and Master.  If you do not yet have your Master’s diploma, please send a certificate issued by your current institution of higher education that confirms your enrollment in a Master’s program, as well as current grades.
2. File 2: (i) a motivation letter (max 2 pages); (ii) a sample of published work (Master thesis, article), if available; (iii) reference letters (if available).
3. Contact details of 3 reference persons.

For information, you can contact Dr Jean-Marc Odobez (jean-marc.odobez@epfl.ch).

Application deadline

Screening of applications will begin on December 1, 2024, and will continue until the positions are filled.

About Idiap

Idiap is a research institute of national importance that engages in fundamental research, education and technology transfer in artificial intelligence, machine learning and signal processing. Idiap offers competitive salaries and conditions in a young, high-quality, dynamic, and multicultural environment. Idiap is located in the town of Martigny in Valais, a scenic region in the south of Switzerland, surrounded by the highest mountains of Europe, and offering exceptional quality of life, exciting recreational activities, including hiking, climbing and skiing, as well as varied cultural activities. English is the official working language.

At Idiap we place great emphasis on diversity and we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. Employment at Idiap is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. Idiap does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, pregnancy, or any other basis protected by law.

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