Post Doctoral Research Associate in Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Please note, this post is fixed-term until 31 March 2026 and full-time at 1 FTE.

We are looking to recruit a Research Fellow with a research profile in autonomous robot navigation to join our agri-robotics research team, within the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems (L-CAS).

One of the platform's key components is autonomy enabling reliable and safe navigation of the mobile platforms deployed in agricultural settings. The academic focus will be on navigation techniques which can deal with dynamic and changing environments, enabling long-term operation, and relying mostly on affordable sensors (e.g. cameras). For that purpose, we are looking to recruit a postdoctoral Research Fellow with relevant experience and/or a keen interest in a number of research areas, including (not exclusively):

• Long-term autonomy for mobile robots;
• Metric/topological robotic mapping and localisation for long-term operation;
• Learning for autonomous systems;
• Software engineering in robotics; and
• Integration and orchestration of robotic system.

The University of Lincoln robotics team is working on a large project with the agri-robotics industry, towards the open development platform for robotic crop harvesting. The platform will facilitate open and standardised access to the core software and hardware components providing key functionality such as autonomy, safety or perception enabling rapid adoption by the industry and academia. The core functionality will enable further development and customisation which can be privately exploited by the industry, leading to faster adoption of more reliable robotic technology in agriculture. Such a strategy will lead to step changes in farming productivity and help alleviate global problems with the availability of a workforce in the sector. This project will demonstrate the principle by developing commercial robotic tomato and strawberry harvesting systems.

You should have or expect to soon obtain, a PhD in a relevant area. You must have excellent mathematical and coding skills (C++/Python) and knowledge of working with robots and using ROS (desirable ROS 2).  

For more information or an informal discussion about this exciting opportunity, please contact Professor Marc Hanheide at mhanheide@lincoln.ac.uk.

Further details:

• Job Description and Person Specification

You can find out more about working at Lincoln, and everything that we have to offer, at: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/jobopportunities/

We strive for a diverse workforce with the very best employees and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. The University encourages applications from underrepresented groups inclusive of Black, Asian and other minoritised/marginalised ethnic groups, all gender identities and expressions from the LGBTQIA+ community, candidates with a disability, and those that practise different faiths and beliefs, to enhance our One Community where we strive to be kind, patient, and supportive of each other.

Please note: If you think you may require a visa to work in the UK, please refer to UK Visas and Immigration or UK Visas – Information for Prospective Staff before embarking upon an application, to ensure that you understand the requirements for sponsorship. You may be eligible to work in the UK via other alternative visa routes such as the Global Talent Visa or by having Settlement / ILR; please refer to the UK Visas pages above for further details.

Closing Date: Tuesday 25 March 2025
Interview Date: Friday 04 April 2025

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