Vacant job

Are you ready to take the next step in your academic journey? As a doctoral student with us, you will work closely with leading researchers in a strong, international research environment, with access to advanced laboratory equipment and solid funding opportunities. You will be offered secure employment, high-quality supervision, and room to grow, both as a researcher and as a person.

The subject Robotics and AI (RAI) at the Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering at Luleå University of Technology is now looking for a PhD student to contribute to our growing activities. The RAI team conducts fundamental research in all aspects of robotics with a specific focus on aerial, space, and bioinspired robotics.

Subject description

Robotics and artificial intelligence aim to develop novel robotic systems characterized by advanced autonomy to improve the ability of robots to interact with the surrounding environment and humans during the execution of specific tasks.

Project description

The vision of RAI is to close the gap from theory to real life, while the team has strong expertise in field robotics. Specific application areas of focus are long-term autonomous missions in large and uncertain environments, semantic mission planning with foundation models, agentic task decomposition and event-driven re-planning, and autonomous semantic-aware inspection of complex infrastructure. The RAI team has strong European and National participation in multiple R&D&I projects.

Duties

As a PhD student, you will perform research with substantial theoretical and experimental components that should be published in peer-reviewed major international journals and at major conferences. The position will include supervision of MSc students and assisting in grant applications from research funding agencies/councils, the EU framework program, or industry. The position might also involve teaching assistance, seminars, and presentations.

You will be working in the field of robotic autonomy, and all activities will be linked with National, European, and worldwide R&D Projects. The research topic is in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. More specifically, the position will involve dense research activities in designing, experimenting, and theoretical development, with the following research areas providing a template for relevant directions:

Long-term Autonomy in Uncertain Environments

1. Planning and Reasoning under Uncertainty

- Decision-making under uncertainty

- Decentralized planning and coordination for multi-agent systems

2. Mapping and Scene Representations

- Dynamic Scene Graphs modelling uncertainty

- Unified situational awareness for multi-robot systems in large and degraded environments

Qualifications

To be qualified for the position, you must have an MSc degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related subject. Proficiency in C++, Python, and ROS 2 is required. Strong scientific skills with proven excellence in real-life experimentation, as well as very good communication skills, are considered a strong plus. You will represent the group on different occasions, both in Sweden and worldwide, so very good command of English is a must.

For further information about a specific subject see: http://www.ltu.se/research/subjects/RoboticsAI?l=en (http://www.ltu.se/research/subjects/RoboticsAI?l=en)

Further information

Employment as a PhD student is limited to 4 years. Teaching and other department duties may be added with max 20%. Placement: Luleå. Starting: According to agreement.

For further information please contact:

George Nikolakopoulos, Chaired Professor, (+46) 920-49 1298 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Union representatives:

SACO-S Diana Chroneer, (+46) 920-49 2037 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, (+46) 920-49 1792 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application

We prefer that you apply for this position by clicking on the apply button below. The application should include a CV with a full description of all the scientific merits of the candidate, a motivation letter, a list of 2 persons that could provide recommendations for the candidate, and copies of verified diplomas from high school and universities. The diplomas must be written in Swedish or English. Your application must be written in Swedish or English. Mark your application with the reference number below.

Final day to apply: 3 August, 2026

Reference number: 3568-2026