Positions Announcement

The Speech and Hearing Science Lab (SHS Lab) at the Medical University of Vienna and the Signal Processing and Speech Communication Lab (SPSC Lab) at Graz University of Technology are jointly seeking candidates for:

· 1 PhD Candidate

· 1 Postdoctoral Researcher

Both positions focus on speech processing in digital health and are expected to start on April 1st, 2025. The selected candidates will work on voice conversion for speech pathologies, with applications in (i) disease progression modeling, including treatment effect prediction, and (ii) enhancing pathological speech using a speaking aid.

Key Research Areas & Methodologies

· Speech processing

· Voice conversion

· Speech analysis & synthesis

· Speaker embeddings

· Representation learning

· Deep neural networks

· Natural language processing (NLP)

· Artificial intelligence & machine learning (AI/ML)

Qualifications

PhD Candidate

· M.Sc. degree in a relevant field (Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Information & Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Audio Engineering).

· Experience in speech processing, preferably in voice conversion.

Postdoctoral Researcher

· PhD degree in a relevant field (related to speech processing).

· Research publications in voice conversion.

General Requirements (All Candidates)

· Independent, self-motivated work ethic.

· Strong teamwork skills.

· Excellent communication abilities.

· Fluency in English (C1 level); German is an asset.

· Willingness and eligibility to work in Graz and Vienna.

· Willingness and eligibility to travel internationally, including to the USA and Asia for conferences.

About the Institutions

The SHS Lab focuses on engineering sciences for communication disorders, integrating speech signal processing, medical data science, AI/ML, medical imaging, and biomarkers. The lab is affiliated with the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and the Division of Phoniatrics-Logopedics.

MedUni Vienna is one of Europe’s leading medical universities, affiliated with Vienna General Hospital, the largest hospital in Europe. It actively advances AI and machine learning research through its newly founded “Comprehensive Centre for AI in Medicine” and is expanding with major new facilities, including the Centre for Translational Medicine (2025) and the Eric Kandel Centre for Precision Medicine (2026).

The SPSC Lab conducts research and teaching in speech processing, audio engineering, signal processing, computational intelligence, and circuits & systems modeling. It has played a key role in organizing INTERSPEECH 2019 and is leading the development of the Graduate School of Speech Language and AI Technologies within the Unite! University Alliance.

TU Graz is Austria’s oldest technical university, known for its high-impact research, student innovation, and vibrant startup ecosystem. It provides an inspiring work environment with excellent infrastructure and university support.

Diversity & Inclusion

Austrian universities are committed to increasing female representation, particularly in scientific and leadership roles. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. In case of equal qualifications, preference will be given to female applicants.

Compensation & Benefits

· PhD Candidate: €37,577.40 (annual gross, 75% position).

· Postdoctoral Researcher: €49,899.15 (annual gross, 75% position).

How to Apply

Send your application (including CV, motivation letter, transcript of records, at least two references, MSc/PhD thesis, and relevant publications) to:

📧 philipp.aichinger@meduniwien.ac.at and hagmueller@tugraz.at

📅 Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.