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We are now looking for two (2) doctoral students in control engineering at the new national centre for heterogeneous adaptive swarm systems (CHASS), funded by the Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF), at the Department of Electrical Engineering (ISY).

Your responsibilities

The interdisciplinary centre CHASS is a national initiative funded by the Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF). The centre brings together researchers in AI, autonomous systems, robotics, and swarm intelligence to develop autonomous, heterogeneous swarm systems for industry and society. The goal is to make Sweden a leader in the field by developing autonomous collectives of space, air, ground, and underwater platforms that work together with minimal human intervention. The research programme covers six main areas: drone design, adaptation, and production; perception, sensors, and communication; autonomy, localization, mapping, and navigation; coordination, self-control, and self-improvement; human-swarm interaction; and swarm-based services and socio-technical aspects. This call is for doctoral positions within the research area of autonomy, localization, mapping, and navigation.

CHASS conducts world-leading research in close collaboration with industry and the public sector and serves as a national hub for research, education, and innovation.

The positions focus on probabilistic methods for state estimation, mapping, navigation, and control of autonomous drone swarms. The work takes place in an interdisciplinary consortium and aims for robust implementation in GNSS-denied environments, for example for rescue operations and environmental monitoring. The two positions have the following focuses:

A. Doctoral position in multimodal distributed state estimation and mapping:

You will work on the swarm's inference layer and develop GNSS-independent probabilistic methods and distributed filters to fuse data from multiple sensors into a common world model.

B. Doctoral position in uncertainty-aware optimization-based motion planning:

The role focuses on the control and planning layer, with the development of scalable methods for trajectory optimization and real-time model predictive control (MPC) for safe and reliable swarm control.

Collaboration between the two research directions A and B, as well as with other areas within the centre, is strongly encouraged.

As a doctoral student, you will focus on your doctoral studies and the research project you are part of. Your work may also include teaching or participation in other departmental duties, up to 20 percent of full-time employment.

Your qualifications

You have completed an advanced level degree in electrical engineering, technical physics, computer science, technical mathematics, or completed courses totaling at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 credits are at an advanced level as described above, or have otherwise acquired substantially equivalent knowledge. The degree requirement must be met no later than the time the employment decision is made, i.e., when the employment contract is signed.

We are looking for someone who works purposefully, takes responsibility for their tasks, and maintains high quality in their work. You take initiative, are self-motivated, and have strong analytical skills with a scientific approach. Furthermore, you should be able to see your own research in a broader context and relate your work to the project's and the subject's overarching goals. You work in a structured manner and can prioritize between tasks. This position also requires the ability to communicate your message clearly, both in academic contexts and in collaboration with others. Since our operations are conducted in an international environment, you must also have good proficiency in English, both orally and in writing.

Your workplace

The Division of Automatic Control is an internationally outstanding research environment with a strong link between theory and application. The research covers areas such as autonomous systems, data-driven modeling, optimization, and sensor fusion, in close collaboration with both industry and leading research groups. As a doctoral student, you will become part of a creative and stimulating environment. More information about the division can be found here: https://liu.se/organisation/liu/isy/rt (https://liu.se/organisation/liu/isy/rt).

For more information about working at ISY, click here: https://liu.se/artikel/lediga-tjanster-pa-isy (https://liu.se/artikel/lediga-tjanster-pa-isy).

About the employment

Upon commencement of employment, you will be admitted to the doctoral studies. Read more about the doctoral studies at each faculty https://liu.se/forskning/forskarutbildning (https://liu.se/forskning/forskarutbildning).

The employment is fixed-term for normally four years full-time. Extension of employment up to five years occurs based on the extent of teaching and departmental duties. Under special circumstances, further extension may occur. You will initially be employed for one year, after which the employment is renewed for up to two years at a time, based on the achieved study plan.

Commencement of employment as agreed, but no later than December 1, 2026.

A security clearance may be conducted before a decision on employment is made.

Please contact [email protected] if you have questions about what it is like to work as a doctoral student at ISY.

Salary and benefits

Doctoral student salaries are regulated based on a locally agreed salary scale. Read more about benefits for employees https://liu.se/jobba-pa-liu/formaner (https://liu.se/jobba-pa-liu/formaner).

Trade union representatives

Information about trade union representatives, see https://liu.se/jobba-pa-liu/hjalp-for-sokande (https://liu.se/jobba-pa-liu/hjalp-for-sokande).

Application

You apply for this position by clicking the "Apply" button below. Please indicate whether you prefer sub-project A or B in the specified checkbox in the form. Your application must be received by Linköping University no later than June 22, 2026. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

We welcome applicants with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, as this enriches and develops our operations. For us, it is obvious to safeguard everyone's equal value, rights, and opportunities. Read about our work with equal treatment and diversity (https://liu.se/artikel/lika-villkor/).

We look forward to receiving your application!

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