Vacant job

Umeå University is one of Sweden's largest higher education institutions, with over 41,500 students and approximately 4,600 employees. The university offers a diverse range of high-quality education and world-leading research across several scientific fields, including the groundbreaking discovery of the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campus makes it easy to meet, collaborate, and exchange knowledge, fostering a dynamic and open culture.

The Department of Computing Science is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for the project "Human Interaction with the Humanoid Unitree G1" within the WASP program, led by Senior Lecturer Zoe Falomir. The position is full-time for two years, with a planned start in autumn 2026, or as agreed.

The Department of Computing Science at Umeå University is an international environment for research and education within a broad spectrum of computer science. Read more at the Department of Computing Science (#).

Project Description and Responsibilities

This project proposes the implementation of a cognitive agent in a humanoid robot that collaborates with a human partner to solve a spatial problem (e.g., a 3D puzzle).

Responsibilities: The following tasks must be performed: (i) scene understanding: detection of objects and relationships between objects, and using these relationships to infer new knowledge (i.e., reasoning); (ii) exploring object affordances, learning the consequences of performed actions, and enriching the knowledge base (i.e., learning through interaction); (iii) using past experiences to predict actions that may be useful in the present, testing them, and updating the knowledge base (i.e., incremental learning). Additionally, writing scientific articles and communicating our research progress at conferences.

Methods: Programming a humanoid platform using ROS2 packages, utilizing SLAM, employing imitation learning algorithms to learn pick-and-place actions, designing Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) experiments with users, evaluating data, and sharing code and benchmarks in open archives.

This postdoctoral position is funded by the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP). WASP is Sweden's largest individual research program ever, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education, and faculty recruitment. Read more: https://wasp-sweden.org/ (https://wasp-sweden.org/)

Qualifications

To be employed under an agreement for fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a completed doctoral degree or a foreign degree assessed as equivalent to a doctoral degree is required.

This eligibility requirement must be met no later than at the time of the employment decision.

To be employed under the postdoctoral agreement, priority is given to those who have obtained the degree mentioned in the previous paragraph no more than three years ago. If there are special reasons, those who obtained their doctoral degree earlier may also be considered. Special reasons include leave due to illness, parental leave, trust positions within trade unions, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical service or service/assignments relevant to the subject area.

Mandatory Qualifications

The applicant must have documented expertise in the following areas:

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field, with experience in robotics, particularly programming of humanoid platforms
• Engineering degree in a field related to:
  • mechanics
  • automatic control
  • mechatronics
  • robotics
  • artificial intelligence
• Documented research experience in robot control and more generally complex systems
• Very good programming skills (e.g., C/C++, Python, ROS)
• Good skills in numerical analysis
• Advanced knowledge in computer vision
• Experience in human-robot interaction

Highly Meritorious

It is particularly meritorious if the applicant has:

• Doctoral degree with a focus on humanoid platforms

Other Meritorious Qualifications

It is also meritorious if the applicant has:

• Publications in reputable conferences such as ICRA, IROS, or HRI (or equivalent)
• Practical experience with humanoid platforms
• Knowledge in cognitive robotics and cognitive architectures

Personal Attributes

Important personal attributes include:

• Very good ability to communicate scientifically in speech and writing in English
• Good teamwork skills, including the ability to communicate and work effectively with others and participate in interdisciplinary projects
• High degree of independence, good problem-solving skills, and the ability for critical and creative thinking

The working language in the group (and at the department) will be English.

Application

A complete application should include:

• A cover letter describing your research interests, project ideas, and contact information.
• Curriculum vitae (CV) with a publication list including DOI links
• Confirmed copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation clarifying when the doctoral degree is expected to be obtained
• Verified copies of other degree certificates, list of completed academic courses, and grades
• Copy of doctoral thesis and up to 5 relevant articles
• Other documents the applicant wishes to submit.
• Contact details for two persons willing to act as references.

The application should be written in English or Swedish. Apply via our electronic recruitment system. Documents sent electronically must be in Word or PDF format. Log in to the system and apply via the button at the bottom of this page. The last day for applications is September 4, 2026.

For questions, contact Zoe Falomir at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Umeå University aims to offer an equal and inclusive environment where open dialogue between people with different backgrounds and perspectives lays the foundation for learning, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome people with different backgrounds and experiences to apply for the current position.