INTERN: Summer internships at Nokia Research Palo Alto

The Context, Content, and Community (C3) team is looking for highly qualified students to work with us on research related to our Simple Context service.  Interns would spend 3 to 6 months at our Palo Alto lab working on projects in key areas of interest.  This is an opportunity to conduct exciting, original research in a stimulating environment at the heart of Silicon Valley.  Competitive compensation and a generous relocation/living allowance are included.  Brief descriptions of potential project areas follow an overview of the Simple Context service below:

Nokia Simple Context:

Nokia Simple Context is an end-to-end system for collection, storage, retrieval, and sharing of mobile, social, and sensor data (with especially strong support for spatio-temporal data).  It provides three major services: (1) data collection with a customizable mobile client, (2) data storage and retrieval with flexible, efficient, web-based tools, and (3) data sharing interfaces that facilitate the flow of data between users and applications.  Simple Context has been used by research groups around the world to collect millions of hours of mobile context and sensor data.

Project Area: Data Analysis

Developing techniques that use mobile context (e.g., social, spatial, temporal, physical sensors) to build user profiles which enhance search and recommendation services.  Includes design and implementation of scalable algorithms for analysis and/or mining of context data.

Required: Expertise in design, implementation, and evaluation of scalable algorithms and systems

Nice to have: Background in data mining, machine learning, or statistics

Project Area: Software for Mobile Devices and Sensors

Advanced design and development of Simple Context clients that extend the platform beyond Symbian and WP7 smart phones.  May include support for other smart phone platforms (e.g., Android, iPhone) as well as other wireless devices and sensors that interface with a phone.

Required: Experience with mobile/embedded development in a relevant programming system (e.g., C# + WP7, Java + Android)
Nice to have: Experience with wireless technologies (e.g., 802.11, Bluetooth, NFC)

Project Area: Enhanced UI and Application Verticals

Design, development, and evaluation of an application vertical that leverages the Simple Context service.  Possible domains include pervasive health and fitness, analytics for advertisers, or a recommendation app.

Required: UI/UX design skills, HCI experience

Nice to have: Experience designing and running user studies

A successful candidate for this internship will be a currently-enrolled Ph.D. student with excellent coding skills and a background in one of the project areas (please indicate which one).  Ability to quickly pick up new technologies and systems is essential.  Projects will be adapted to match the successful candidate’s skillset and strengths and will hopefully lead to a submission for CHI, MobiSys, Pervasive, or a related conference/workshop.

Please send a CV and references to evan.welbourne@nokia.com

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C3 is a small, tightly knit team with a focus on prototyping real systems and core expertise in scalable systems, databases, machine learning, Ubicomp, and UI/UX design.

Nokia Research Center Palo Alto is located in the heart of Silicon Valley. The work of NRC Palo Alto consists of mobile Internet services systems, mobile business solutions, context-specific content, visual computing and ubiquitous imaging and other user experience enhancing technologies.  For more about Nokia Research, see: http://research.nokia.com/