Researcher Position in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Luleå University of Technology is experiencing strong growth with world-leading expertise in several research areas. We shape the future through innovative education and groundbreaking research results, and based in the Arctic region, we create global societal benefits. Our scientific and artistic research and education are conducted in close collaboration with international, national, and regional companies, public actors, and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has a total turnover of nearly 2.1 billion SEK per year. We currently have 1,900 employees and 18,700 students.

In the coming years, multi-billion investments will be made in Norrbotten and Västerbotten in large projects aimed at a more sustainable society both nationally and globally. Luleå University of Technology is involved in several of these highly relevant research projects and the societal transformation that follows. We have a wide range of educational programs to match the skills in demand. We hope you want to help us build the sustainable companies and societies of the future.

Subject Description

Robotics and artificial intelligence aim to develop new robotic systems characterized by advanced autonomy to improve the robots' ability to interact with the environment and people while performing specific tasks.

Project Description

The vision of RAI is to bridge the gap between theory and reality, and the team has a strong background in field robotics. The application areas we focus on are robotics for mining, airborne inspection of aging infrastructure, multi-robot search and rescue for emergency services, and similar. Furthermore, we work with multi-sensor fusion and multi-robot coordination, which includes environmental perception, decentralization, and execution of specified missions for multi-robot systems.

Job Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a researcher primarily involve research. Teaching and pedagogical development work may be included in the responsibilities with a maximum of 20% of the working time. You will conduct research with substantial experimental elements, which should be published in peer-reviewed international academic journals as well as major conferences. Responsibilities include supervising PhD and MSc students, teaching, and supporting the acquisition of funding for future research projects from research funding agencies/councils, EU projects, or industry.

You will work within airborne robotics, and their activities will link with national, European, and World Wide R&D projects.

Characteristic Research Topics

Characteristic research topics will focus on, but are not limited to, the following areas, where evidence of previous work with experimentally verified results is necessary:

Research Topics:

• Field robotics focusing on extreme environments
• Navigation through unknown environments
• Fast dynamics-based planning
• Semantic-based exploration
• Source localization
• Perception in sensor-degraded environments:
• Localization in smoke and dust-filled environments
• Scene understanding
• Biometric/triage evaluations, etc.
• Mission-specific modules such as autonomous firefighting, sampling, rescue operations, or large-scale mission planning.

Qualifications

To be eligible for employment, a PhD or equivalent foreign degree in control engineering or a related subject is required. It is advantageous if your degree was obtained no more than three years before the application deadline for this position. If there are special reasons, it may be considered for those who obtained their PhD earlier, for example, due to various types of statutory leave.

The research tasks require a solid mathematical background with proven advanced experimental capability and excellent programming skills (e.g., C++, ROS, Matlab, etc.). You should have a strong vision to evaluate and demonstrate research results in real field and industrial conditions, with an approach that reduces the gap between pure theory and experimental verification. You will need to represent the group in various contexts, both in Sweden and abroad, thus excellent English skills are a requirement.

Information

The position is temporary for one year. Start date by agreement and the place of employment is Luleå.

For further information, please contact:
George Nikolakopoulos, Professor and subject representative 0920–491298, geonik@ltu.se

Union representatives:
SACO-S Diana Chroneer, 0920-49 2037 diana.chroneer@ltu.se
OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, 0920-49 1721 marika.vesterberg@ltu.se

Application

We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below, where you attach a personal letter, a detailed CV with a list of publications and a complete description of your scientific merits, a rough research plan regarding the described research topics, a list of successful grant applications or participation in research projects, at least 2 references, formal copies of verified and translated diplomas and PhD. Please mark your application with the reference number below. The application must be written in English as we have English speakers in the recruitment group.

Application deadline: April 17, 2025
Reference number: 1524–2025