PhD student position in Robotic grasping and manipulation

This PhD position gives a unique possibility to reach specialist competence in robotics as well as machine learning and control, fields with very strong job markets also in the foreseeable future. The project involves both theoretical in-depth work as well as application oriented and experimental work, with collaboration with both academic and industrial partners. The project focuses on robotic grasping and manipulation which is a key enabling various robotic applications. As a PhD student you will be academically and pedagogically trained, and enter a strong international research environment and network.

Information about the position
The position is with the Automatic Control group in the Division of Systems and Control. The candidate will work under the supervision of senior researchers with background in robotics, machine learning, automatic control and optimization, at the Division of Systems and Control. The group is involved in many research projects carried out in collaboration with other research groups, institutes and industry. In this project, we will study how intelligent behavior can be achieved through the interaction of an embodied AI agent with its environment and based on its sensorimotor experience. We will focus on building robust systems that can accomplish complex grasping and manipulation tasks in human-inhabited environments, such as mobile manipulation, bi-manual manipulation and collaborative assembly. The position is for four years of PhD studies extended up to five years to accommodate teaching performed at the department.

Major responsibilities
The PhD student will conduct original research in line with the project, and complete coursework throughout the period of the appointment. Results will be communicated in the form of scientific articles, conference presentations etc and the PhD thesis. The working time is mainly devoted to research. The student will also be expected to participate in teaching activities in the field of Automatic Control and Robotics and supervision of MSc students, corresponding to about 20% of working hours.

Position summary
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

Qualifications
Applicants should have a Master's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Math and Physics, Statistics & Optimization, or an equivalent. Strong background in robotics, machine learning, and control is required. High grades in relevant undergraduate courses, previous experience and demonstrated competence with C/C++, Python, ROS, general software-development practices and experience of hardware and simulation implementation are advantageous. Previous experience of robot learning research is a merit. Applicants should be fluent in written and spoken English.

Chalmers continuously strives to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20210016 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as pdf-files, as below:

CV: (Please name the document: CV, Family name, Ref. number)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter: (Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, Ref. number)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, eg. TOEFL test results.

Please use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. The files may be compressed (zipped).

Application deadline: 15 February, 2021

For questions, please contact:
Yasemin Bekiroglu, Systems and Control, yaseminb@chalmers.se,
Tel:+46317721322
Yiannis Karayiannidis, Systems and Control, yiannis@chalmers.se,
Tel:+46317721562

Information about the department
At the department of Electrical Engineering we value all our co-workers and we know that a variety of personalities and experiences makes the most creative workplaces. We therefore encourage applicants with any genders, backgrounds and abilities.

Our overall ambition is to contribute to a sustainable future. We aim to create a positive impact on the development of society, both environmentally, socially and economically. Research and education are performed in the areas of Communication and Antenna systems, Systems and Control, Computer vision, Signal processing, Biomedical engineering and Electric Power Engineering. Our knowledge is of use everywhere where there is advanced technology with integrated electronics, no matter if it involves electricity, electrical signals, optical signals or microwaves. The department is a dynamic and international work environment with about 200 employees from more than 20 countries. We collaborate closely with both national and international academia, industry and medical researchers.


*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. ***