DREAM Disability Rights Expanding Accessible Markets One Early Stage Research positions at Fundosa Technosite, S.A. Full Time from 1 September 2011 for three years Marie Curie Initial Training Network: Fundosa Technosite, S.A. is seeking to recruit one Early Stage Researcher (ESR) as of 1 September 2011 who will research how the rights contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities can be transformed into practical applications. The researcher will be recruited within the framework of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network, DREAM. Description of DREAM The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD, 2006) imposes legal obligations on States Parties to promote and achieve accessibility across the board for people with disabilities. This includes areas as diverse as access to Information and Communications Technologies and consumer goods and services more generally, access to employment, having legal capacity to act and take decisions, and access to independent living. Accessibility can be achieved through a variety of means, ranging from ensuring goods and services meet Design for All requirements, reasonable accommodation, non-discrimination, and inclusive social and economic policies and legislation. All Member States of the EU and the EEA have signed the Convention, as has the European Union, and all have ratified or concluded the Convention, or are committed to doing so. The Marie Curie Initial Training Network DREAM (Disability Rights Expanding Accessible Markets) consists of the National University of Ireland, Galway, Technosite (Spain), Maastricht University (Netherlands), University of Leeds (UK), NOVA Norwegian Social Research, the University of Iceland and Swiss Paraplegic Research / University of Lucerne. In addition, the Network consists of eight associated partners, including leading civil society groups. Each researcher will do an internship with at least one associated partner. The associated partners include the European Disability Forum, Interights, Mental Disability Advocacy Centre, European Network for Independent Living, the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions, the World Health Organisation and Digital Europe. 1
More information on the DREAM ITN Network can be found at: www.nuigalway.ie/dream The DREAM Network offers a unique, integrative research environment where leading academics will integrate accepted applicants into their research teams. The Network will provide a structured training programme. Academic partners within the Network will support the researchers to work successfully towards a Ph.D. defence / degree at the host institution, which should occur at the end of the appointment. Vacancy ESR on Socio-Economic Impact of eaccessibility based at Technosite (Madrid) One ESR will be recruited to work on the business case of eaccessibility. The ESR will receive in-house complementary skills training in cost-benefit analysis, technical aspects of the implementation of eaccessibility standards and guidelines, covering the concept of web accessibility and its relevance, how people with disabilities access the web, assistive technologies, barriers caused by lack of compliance with the accessibility criteria, web accessibility standards and recommendations; golden rules that solve major accessibility barriers; and assessment of compliance with accessibility criteria. The successful applicant will investigate how the business case of eaccessibility is currently being accepted and fostered (or not) by major corporate enterprises and governments. Specifically, the applicant will survey existing good practice models in terms of companies maximizing the commercial opportunities of eaccessibility and will consider cost-benefit analysis of eaccessibility, savings or expenditures of a sample of firms investing (or not) in eaccessible goods and services. The successful candidate is expected to work towards the completion of a Ph.D. that will examine and review the literature on the extent to which comparative US laws and third leading countries have opened up market opportunities for ICT companies and the ways to benchmark leading situations in Europe. The successful candidate will carry out a six month internship at the Digital Europe headquarter in Brussels, and will produce an internal research report relating to the subject of the research for Digital Europe. The successful applicant will participate in a PhD programme in a University based in Madrid. Individual supervision of the candidate will be provided by Dr. José Angel Martínez Usero. The successful applicant will have a graduate degree in IT, Economics or Finance with a specialisation in Econometrics or similar field, and a strong background in international affairs. The successful applicant must have excellent writing and communication skills in English. Knowledge of Spanish or other European language is not required. 2
Fundosa Technosite, S.A. Fundosa Technosite, S. A., which operates under the brand name Technosite, is a technology and consultancy company belonging to the business corporation of ONCE Foundation, which in turn belongs to ONCE, the National Organisation of the Spanish Blind. Technosite is a company working in the field of the social economy. Over 70% of Technosite s staff comprises people with disabilities and it is precisely this which gives us our competitive edge, since all our technological development and consultancy activities are carried out with accessibility and Design for All criteria. Our multidisciplinary team is highly qualified, with university graduates making up over 80% of the staff. Technosite employs over 120 professionals, located at its offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Brussels. Since 2001, Technosite has provided consultancy, training, assessment and certification in accessibility issues, a business area, which together with R&D, is the company s main source of income. Another business area that Technosite has developed is that of social studies into the needs and preferences regarding the use of technologies among different groups of users with special needs. Our clients include a wide range of leading companies operating in Spain in sectors such as finance, including banks, telecoms, energy, construction, health, transport and tourism, civil society associations, as well as public administrations at local, regional and national levels. Technosite also carries out an important activity of scientific, technical and social research in the field of disability, especially focused on the development of accessible technologies, the interoperability of different technologies with devices used by people with disabilities, and the study of their needs and requirements as regards the applications and services of the Information Society, the assessment of the social impact of technology and the analysis of the users experience. Technosite is a member of the W3C-WAI (Education and Outreach Working Group, EOWG; WAI Interest Group), European Design for All eaccessibility Network, EDeAN, egovernment Monitor Network (egovmonet), Accessibility Interoperability Alliance, AIA, and European eaccesibility Certification, EuraCERT. Technosite is foundation member of the Euroaccessibility Consortium. Technosite also represents ONCE Foundation and ONCE in many of the international networks these institutions participate in or lead. Salary and Benefits for the Position Researchers will be appointed on a full-time (39 hours per week) temporary contract for a period three years, including a six-month internship at an organisation which is an associated partner in the DREAM Network. 3
As Marie Curie Fellows, suitably qualified and experienced researchers will receive generous benefits, including the following gross amounts: a fixed salary/living allowance of approximately 28,130 per year, plus mobility (from 383 to 613 per month), travel ( 1,000 per year) and career exploration allowances ( 2,000 lump sum before starting the appointment), according to the Marie Curie Framework 7 requirements for Early Stage Researchers 1. Individual allowances may vary according to personal factors (such as family status and place of origin) and are calculated in Euros. Applications should include: o Clear indication of the position applicant is applying for. o Motivation letter. o Curriculum Vitae using Europass format. o Certified transcripts of results of Degree/s. o Two recent reference letters sent directly by the referees via e-mail to dream@nuigalway.ie with the subject DREAM-name of candidate. o Knowledge of Spanish will be valuable and only certified evidences will be taken into account. o All non-native English speakers must pass the academic IELTS (minimum score: 7.5) or TOEFL internet-based (minimum score: 113) tests or a similar national test. o All applicants must submit a first draft of a research proposal for the Ph.D. as outlined in this job announcement. The proposal should be at least 10 pages long and clearly address the core research question/s, reveal an understanding of the current state of the art, propose a clear methodology and include a convincing timeline. A full draft of the Ph.D., which has been approved by the researcher s supervisors, should be submitted by the end of the 3 year contract. The successful applicants are expected to refine the research proposal, in consultation with their future academic supervisors, prior to taking up their positions. DREAM Network partners welcome and encourage applications from qualified individuals with a disability and women. Applications should be sent to: dream@nuigalway.ie Application deadline: 31 May 2011. Interviews will be scheduled for end April, and successful applicants are expected to commence employment on or around 1 September 2011. 1 http://ec.europa.eu/mariecurieactions 4
Additional Nationality and Mobility Requirements Marie Curie Early Stage Researchers are required to undertake trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up an appointment. At the time of selection, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (e.g. work, study etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the last 3 years. Additional Information: More information regarding this vacancy can be obtained from Dr. José Angel Martinez Usero via email jamartinez@technosite.es 5