[Infovis] Post-Doctoral Position in Data-Driven Video Stories

[Jonathan Hook]

** Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Data-Driven Video Stories **
- Digital Creativity Labs, University of York, UK
- Application deadline: 03/12/2017 
- Find out more and apply: https://goo.gl/q953tx <https://goo.gl/q953tx>  

We seek an outstanding interdisciplinary researcher for a 1-year fixed term position as a Research Associate on the ‘Perspective Media: Personalized Video Storytelling for Data Engagement’ project. The project is situated in York’s Digital Creativity (DC) Labs (http://www.digitalcreativity.ac.uk <http://www.digitalcreativity.ac.uk/>), an impact-driven research centre that explores and develops new forms of digital creativity and interactive media experience. The post is funded by the EPSRC and is a collaborative project between the University of York, BBC R&D, The Open Data Institute, The Digital Catapult, City of York Council and BAFTA-winning immersive media producer Catherine Allen.

The Perspective Media project investigates how personalized, interactive video stories (e.g. based on interactive documentary techniques or object-based media) can provide more accessible, informative and pleasurable ways for the public to engage with the increasing amounts of data that exist about them in modern society. As the successful candidate, you will be at the forefront of developments that exploit the power of storytelling for engagement and literacy with data, and the potential of data analytics to reveal new opportunities for storytelling. You will conduct user-centered research with media production partners, data providers and audience members to investigate: cutting-edge techniques for presenting data in personalised video stories and novel processes and tools for making interactive video content that is adaptive to viewer data.

As the successful candidate, you will have a PhD and record of high-quality publications in Human-computer Interaction or a related field (e.g. Interaction Design, User-experience, Interactive Data Visualization, Interactive/Digital Media, Media Arts Technology, Computer Science), or equivalent experience. You will have the ability to apply user-centered research methods (e.g. workshops, observations, interviews) in the design, development and evaluation of human-computer interfaces or interactive media experiences. You will have the front-end software development skills needed to turn ideas into functional prototypes so that they can be evaluated with end users, preferably using web technologies (e.g. HTML5 and Javascript). You will also have: experience of conducting high-quality individual and collaborative research projects; excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience of presenting at conferences and engaging with non-academic audiences; the ability to work to tight deadlines in an interdisciplinary team including industry and other external partners; and flexibility to travel to partner sites in the UK for a small number of short research visits and to international conferences to disseminate results. Candidates with previous knowledge and experience of either interactive video/media experiences or techniques for engaging non-experts with data would be especially welcomed, but this is not essential.

** Further Details of the Project and Role **
The project’s methodology will be focussed around the iterative and user-centered design and development of prototype Perspective Media content with project partners and other stakeholders. These prototypes will range in fidelity from low-fi mock-ups created in initial design workshops to a final functional prototype that will be deployed and evaluated with a sizable public audience via the BBC’s high-profile Taster platform. You will work closely with the PI to lead the creation and evaluation of these prototypes, employing your user-research and organizational skills to facilitate and coordinate collaborative contributions from partners and stakeholders with expertize in media production and data provision, and a team of two film production interns under your supervision. You will also employ your front-end software development skills in the technical implementation of prototypes, working in close collaboration with other researchers and software engineers in the DC Labs who are developing back-end technologies for interactive video.

This full-time post is available for 12 months from the 1st February 2018, or as soon as practical after this date. The appointment will be made at Grade 6 and the salary will be in the range £31,604 - £38,832 a year.

For information and enquiries please contact Dr Jonathan Hook on jonathan.hook at york.ac.uk <mailto:jonathan.hook at york.ac.uk> 

Download the candidate brief and apply here: https://goo.gl/q953tx <https://goo.gl/q953tx> 


Jonathan Hook
Lecturer in Interactive Media
Department of Theatre, Film and Television
University of York, Baird Lane, YO10 5GB
+44 (0)1904 325238
www.jonhook.co.uk <http://www.jonhook.co.uk/>