Interested in joining us? The Active Perception Laboratory is an exciting place to work. By joining our team, you will have the possibility to contribute to research that is expanding the boundaries of current knowledge on how the visual system functions. Since our research is highly interdisciplinary, you will interact with lab members from a variety of fields including Neuroscience, Psychology, Engineering, and Physics. You will continually learn new skills and widen your horizons. Since the laboratory is jointly supported by two Principal Investigators, you will find a very rich environment, with a critical mass of lab members and a virtually unique array of experimental resources. Both are further amplified by the tremendous opportunities provided by the Center for Visual Science, one of the oldest centers in the field world-wide, and the superb environment in visual neuroscience and optics at the University of Rochester. Since the Active Perception Laboratory receives funding from both the government and industry, you will be able to work on a wide variety of projects and establish close collaborations with major technological corporations. And since the activities in the Active Perception Laboratory often require complementary skills and interests, you can get involved at multiple level of expertise, from undergraduate to post-doctoral. Below is a list of some of the current openings in the laboratory.
Graduate students are at the heart of the Active Perception Laboratory. They contribute to every aspect of our work and continually shape the lab's future.
Most applicants join through the Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences or the Department of Neuroscience, but students have also come from the Institute of Optics and other departments across the university. Because our research spans a wide range of topics, we welcome students with diverse backgrounds and interests.
Graduate students in the lab have the flexibility to tailor their training. Many engage in both experimental and computational projects, gaining experience with a variety of techniques, while others focus more deeply on a specific question or approach. Some also contribute to the design and refinement of new instruments. Through our close partnerships with major technology companies, students often build valuable connections with industry.
The Active Perception Laboratory has a strong record of high-profile student-led publications, and several students have appeared as co-inventors on patents stemming from our research. Graduate students are typically supported by one or more of our research grants and devote most of their time to hands-on research.
If you are interested in joining the lab, please explore our recent publications to learn more about our research, and contact one or both Principal Investigators, Drs. Martina Poletti and Michele Rucci, depending on your interests.
We are currently recruiting new graduate research assistants. Open positions with Prof. Rucci focus on understanding how oculomotor behavior contributes to fine spatial vision and on investigating how information processing is altered in myopia.
This position is a collaboration with a major technological company to help with the development of a new system for high-resolution eye-tracking and real-time gaze-contingent display control. The successful candidate will act as a liaison between the laboratory and the company. His/her primary responsibility will be to refine and further develop a new eye-tracking approach recently explored in the laboratory and integrate it with EyeRIS, a custom system for gaze-contingent updating of the stimulus.
The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated individual with an engineering background and previous experience in image processing and/or real-time control. Experience with C/C++ and CUDA is required. Experience with computer graphics, real-time systems, and optics is desirable. Ability to work well in a team is essential.
To apply, please send curriculum vitae, brief statement of research interests and accomplishments, and names of two references to Michele Rucci.
A postdoctoral position is available in the Active Perception Laboratory at the University of Rochester.
This position is part of an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Jonathan Victor at Cornell University and centers on the impact of eye movements on visual functions. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated individual with experience in vision science and data analysis and the ability to work well in a team. A quantitative background and demonstrated interest in applying quantitative methods to neuroscience is preferable. Experience with signal processing, C++, computer graphics, and real-time control is a plus.
The Active Perception Laboratory is part of the Center for Visual Science at the University of Rochester, a center with a long history of fundamental accomplishments in vision science. CVS is composed by more than 35 research laboratories creating a vibrant and highly collaborative scientific community.
To apply, please send curriculum vitae, brief statement of research interests and accomplishments, and names of two references to Michele Rucci and Jonathan Victor.
Interdisciplinary research group has two full-time positions open for a laboratory technician and an engineer to aid in the development of cutting-edge technology for vision sciences. If you like solving complex problems that intersect with both hardware and software, this is the job for you!
Major responsibilities include: (a) developing hardware and software for high-precision tracking of head and eye movements, including working with state-of-the-art motion capture systems and our in-house magnetic search coil system (b) contributing to the development of virtual reality systems with integrated eye-tracking technology; and (c) helping with the refinement of two new types of eye-trackers currently at a prototype stage in the laboratory. One of the two positions requires expertise with mechanical design and fabrication as well as basic electronics. Ability to work well in a team is essential, as well as self-motivation and the capability to work independently when needed.
Ideal Background:
(1) Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Biomedical, or Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field of study, and/or equivalent work experience. (2) 1+ years of experience with C++ and Matlab/Python (3) 1+ years of experience data acquisition and signal processing (4) Hands on experience with electrical circuits and/or mechanical design for one of the two positions.
The position comes with the standard benefits offered by the University of Rochester, including tuition benefits. The Active Perception Laboratory prides itself in being a supportive work environment, actively helping employees expand their skills and achieve their career ambitions. The lab welcomes applicants at any point in their career, including individuals who are considering graduate or medical school. If interested in this position, please send resume / curriculum vitae, cover letter, and names of two references to Professors Michele Rucci and Martina Poletti, mrucci@ur.rochester.edu and martina_poletti@urmc.rochester.edu