Connectionists: Multiple Postdoctoral and Research Assistant Positions on artificial consciousness based on the integrated information theory (IIT)

[Ryota Kanai]

Job Advertisement

4 Postdoctoral and/or RA positions at Araya Brain Imaging, Tokyo, Japan.

Four postdoctoral positions (or RA positions) are available to work on a
JST (Japan Science and Technology) funded research CREST project on
“Towards constructing artificial consciousness based on the integrated
information theory (IIT)” (PIs: Kanai, Kawanabe and Maekawa, Co-PIs:
Tsuchiya and Oizumi), which will run for 5.5 years from Oct 2015. The
initial appointment will be for one year, with renewal based upon
satisfactory performance and evaluation. Salary will be commensurate with
experience.

We are looking for young researchers (e.g., RA, late-stage candidates for
MSc or PhD degree, or postdoctoral fellows) whose main research interest is
the neuronal basis of consciousness, artificial intelligence, and/or the
integrated information theory (IIT) of consciousness.

There are 4 pillars in the project:
1. Evolving artificial intelligent systems in complex game environments
2. Constructing systems with flexible sensory, cognitive and motor
capability using deep neural networks (DNN)
3. Evaluation of integrated information in artificial systems
4. Empirical tests of IIT in real neural systems

You will be employed at Araya Brain Imaging (CEO: Kanai) in Japan for all
projects, but the actual work location depends on the project. Projects 1
and 2 will mainly take place within Araya Brain Imaging in Central Tokyo,
Japan, and Projects 3 and 4 at Monash University, Australia. All projects
will be supervised by Ryota Kanai (Araya), Naotsugu Tsuchiya (Monash) and
Masafumi Oizumi (Monash and RIKEN, Japan). The researchers in all projects
are expected to travel between Japan and Australia frequently (at least
twice a year).

For each project, the requirements for experience and skills differ, but
excellent programming and mathematical skills (especially familiarity in
advanced statistics, machine learning and information theory) will be
essential in all projects. Research Assistants are expected to learn those
skills upon appointment.

Excellence in written and oral English communication skills, as supported
by objective publication recorded, is essential for postdoctoral applicants.

Most importantly the enthusiasm to solve consciousness is mandatory.

Araya Brain Imaging is a rapidly expanding start-up located in Tokyo. While
being a private company, our priority is quality in research that makes
changes to the world. Many of the members have been trained abroad (UK and
US) and we have a very international atmosphere.
www.araya.org/eng

Monash University, one of the eight top universities in Australia (G8), is
forming a strong cluster of consciousness researchers, ranging from
philosophers, neurophysiologists, and psychologists with excellent
cognitive neuroscience tools available (simultaneous EEG & fMRI experiments
and EEG/TMS & fMRI experiments at Monash Brain Imaging facility, which
hosts a research-only MRI scanner, EEG, TMS and eye tracking.
http://mbi.monash.edu.au/)

Interested candidates are encouraged to send a CV, statement of research
accomplishments and interests, PDF copies of representative publications,
and contact information for 2 reference letters to:

Contact Yoshiko Tan (postdoc at araya.org) for questions and applications

Application review will begin immediately and continue until the positions
are filled.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ryota Kanai
CEO of Araya Brain Imaging
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