The University is dedicated to supporting an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment - to create better futures, together. The diverse backgrounds, characteristics and opinions within our community are our great strength and are key to our pursuit of delivering educational excellence, enterprise, research and professional services. We welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds and minoritized groups as they are currently under-represented within our community.
We recognise the value of a fulfilling and balanced work and personal life which promotes wellbeing. We seek to support colleagues in achieving this balance and have family-friendly policies, flexible working arrangements and many roles can be suitable for dynamic working arrangement. This includes considering applications to work on a part-time, flexible and job share basis wherever possible.
We are proud to be a Real Living Wage Employer—so much so that we go beyond the standard, providing additional supplementary payments at specific pay points to further support our employees' financial wellbeing. Further information about the Loughborough Real Living Wage Supplement can be found on our HR webpage.
Loughborough University is a UKVI Sponsor. Some individuals may require sponsorship to enable them to apply for a visa to provide them with the right to work in the UK. Please note certain roles are not eligible for sponsorship. For further information and eligibility please visit the UKVI website.
The success of accelerating and embedding mobile robotics within horticulture relies on developing capable and robust navigation systems that enable robots to traverse and operate effectively across diverse agricultural and horticultural environments. This project aims to develop and deploy a low-maintenance yet reliable navigation and automated driving solution for robotic systems that face agriculture-specific challenges.
We are seeking to appoint a motivated and highly qualified Postdoctoral Research Associate in Mobile Robotics to join the Loughborough University Centre for Autonomous Systems (LUCAS). This position is linked to two UKRI-funded projects on horticultural robotics (AREA-H) and orchard management (POME). You will join a well-connected and diverse research team at LUCAS, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for robotics research. The post provides an excellent opportunity to deepen your expertise in autonomous mobile robotics, contributing to impactful applications in the agricultural and horticultural industries.
You will conduct independent and collaborative research in mobile robotics, manage your own academic and administrative activities, adapt existing and develop new robotic methodologies, design and implement algorithms, deploy and test on hardware platforms, and analyse data from various sources and field trials. More specifically, this role will involve one of the following directions:
These developments aim to enable consistent robotic operation and mapping throughout the year within dynamic and ever-changing outdoor environments.
You must hold or close to complete a Doctorate degree in Control Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Autonomous systems or a related technical field, or a MSc/MRes degree with substantial working experience in relevant fields. Demonstrated ability to program in C/C++, Python and/or MATLAB to a high standard, experience with state estimation and factor-graph algorithms and working experience with the Robotic Operating System (ROS), track record of publications preferably in robotics or control engineering themed journals are essential. Desirable qualifications include:
1) experience implementing Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms;
2) familiarity with sensor-based navigation and field trials of mobile robotic systems.
For more information refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.
Our Benefits
At Loughborough, our benefits are designed to support your life inside and outside of work, helping you to thrive and feel valued as part of our community. Examples of our benefits include:
Time off - generous holiday allowance, including 14 university closure days and bank holidays, with the option to buy extra through our holiday purchase scheme
Where you work – access to a range of fantastic facilities with plenty of green space across our 523-acre East Midlands campus, plus an exciting community at our London campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Financial wellbeing – competitive pay, two excellent pension schemes, and everyday savings opportunities
Support for you and your family – on-site nursery at our East Midlands campus, flexible and hybrid working options, and a range of family-friendly policies
Health and wellbeing – discounted gym memberships and access to world-class sporting facilities, including physiotherapy, plus healthcare offers such as eyesight testing and wellbeing support
Travel and sustainability - access to our electric vehicle and cycle-to-work schemes, as well as a variety of travel offers to support sustainable commuting
Discover more about the full range of rewards and benefits at Loughborough University.