OCL - collaboration

There are several ways to work with OCaml Labs, ranging from internships
and short visits, to embarking on a PhD degree, to
post-doctoral work (both research and engineering-oriented).

A core principle of the OCaml Labs is that all of the work done here will be
released to the public and made [available](https://github.com/ocamllabs) under
open-source licenses. To this end, all members of the Labs retain their own
copyright, with the requirement that all OCaml-related activities be released
under a free software license (preferably BSD/ISC or LGPLv2).

Applying for a PhD

We're always looking out for bright people to become PhD students.  Of course,
entry is very competitive, but every year quite a few people do win!
A PhD degree in the Computer Lab typically takes 3-4 years, and requires application
well in advance.  You should read up on the [official process](http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/admissions/phd/), and also contact us to discuss research proposals before you submit them.</p>

You will need to do some research on what sort of funding model you
want (self-funding, or an EU grant, or a [Gates Scholarship](http://www.gatescambridge.org), or
College funding). Some of them, like the Gates funds, are very
competitive and so you will want to get your application in early.
Also make sure you have the minimum qualifications (a Masters-level
degree helps, as does experience in industry).  We can also fund
exceptional candidates directly, so do not despair if you cannot find
external funding and always ask us!

Full-time positions

We are hiring for full-time post-doctoral and engineering positions
for the projects we work on.
These include:

* Compiler engineers: the OCaml compiler is a very finely
  maintained tool, and we wish to help INRIA to maintain and develop it.
  The projects page (link here) lists some of the tasks,
  including a developing multicore-capable GC (without sacrificing
  sequential performance), improving cross-module inlining and general
  optimisation, adding an efficient LLVM backend (with hooks for precise
  GC), and experimenting with more radical techniques such as
  whole-program optimisation.  If you are excited by the thought of such
  projects, enjoy open-source coding and interaction, and want to work
  in a vibrant and slightly crazy research group, then you want to apply!

* Post-doctoral systems research: we use OCaml heavily in a
  variety of systems projects, ranging from the [Mirage](https://mirage.io/) exokernel, the [Signpost](http://signpost.io) DNSSEC routing engine,
  the [Xen Cloud Platform](http://github.com/xen-org/xen-api)
  and [privacy-aware personal data](http://www.databoxproject.uk/) management. This is a good opportunity for a freshly graduated
  PhD student who wants to spend a few years building complex networked
  systems and publishing (both papers and code)

Visitors and internships

If you are working on a project relevant to the OCaml ecosystem, and
would like to spend some time working directly with OCaml Labs staff and
students, then get in touch!  We can arrange (paid) internships for
graduate students, and office space for visitors.  A typical visit lasts
from a few days to six months.  A graduate student should think about
a project for the internship that could lead to a good conference
publication, and we are happy to discuss projects. It should ideally
be related to your main PhD topic to get the most benefit out of it.

If you visit in the summer, then it should be possible to arrange
for accommodation in one of Cambridge's beautiful Colleges. Availability
is very variable, and depends on whether you need single or multiple
rooms. Please get in touch with Gemma (link here) for details.

For current students in Cambridge, several of our industrial
partners offer paid internship programs over the summer, where you go
work on real problems. Check out the [Jane Street](http://www.janestreet.com/workplace/internships.php)
program, and contact us if interested in a Citrix internship locally in Cambridge. You can also check the [UROP](http://to.eng.cam.ac.uk/teaching/urops/projects.html) list for current projects.

For external undergraduates</b> looking for a placement (e.g. from an [ENS](http://www.ens.fr in France), this can also be
arranged for a usual period between 4-6 months. Please contact us with at least two months before the desired starting period.

Industrial Partnerships

If you are an industrial user of OCaml, then you are very welcome
to visit and discuss collaboration opportunities. Although the Lab
itself does not undertake commercial work, we are eager to learn about
your needs.  We help organise ACM/SIGPLAN conferences (such as [CUFP](http://cufp.org) and [OUD](http://oud.ocaml.org) where you can get more publicity, and we plan to host smaller workshops and hackathons in different regions. Members of the Lab may
consult on a private basis, but larger opportunties should be directed
to dedicated commercial companies such as [OCamlPro](http://ocamlpro.com).

If you wish to contribute funding towards the goals of the Labs, then
please get in touch with [Anil Madhavapeddy](http://anil.recoil.org).
This can often be a tax-efficient and effective way to help expand your
use of functional programming and ensure the long-term future of OCaml.

We also regularly participate in industry/academic collaborative
projects, particularly via the [EPSRC](http://www.epsrc.ac.uk) and the [EU FP7](http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html) programme.
Note that we do not act as coordinators or management bases for EU
projects, and only as research participants.