Doctoral Researcher in Cooperative Planning and Control for Heterogeneous Maritime Robots - Full-time employment (m/f)

4 Sep 2026
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Centar izvrsnosti MARBLE drustvo s ogranicenom odgovornoscu za istrazivanje i razvoj

Research Field

Engineering » Computer engineering
Engineering » Aerospace engineering
Engineering » Electrical engineering
Engineering » Control engineering
Computer science » Other
Mathematics » Applied mathematics
Other

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions

Master Positions

Application Deadline

20 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Zagreb)

Country

Croatia

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

40

Offer Starting Date

4 Sep 2026

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon Europe

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Job Description:  

MARBLE is seeking a Researcher to work within the Research Department of the “CoE MARBLE – Centre of Excellence in Maritime Robotics and Technologies for Sustainable Blue Economy” (https://www.marble.eu/ ). The successful candidate will contribute to the Research Action “Cooperative Heterogeneous Maritime Robots for Infrastructure Inspection”, focusing on the development, integration, testing, and deployment of coordination, mission planning, and control methods for heterogeneous teams of UAVs, USVs, and AUVs/ROVs. The research will address cooperative operations under realistic constraints, including heterogeneous vehicle capabilities, communication availability, localisation uncertainty, and changing mission conditions. The candidate will be expected to publish research results in high-quality journals, present their work at international conferences, and contribute to proposal preparation, dissemination, and other research-related activities. Strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills are essential. The position involves close collaboration with project partners, participation in field trials, and the development of innovative solutions for maritime robotics applications.

About the Position:  

Cooperative operation of heterogeneous maritime robots is a key enabling capability for autonomous inspection and mapping of maritime infrastructure spanning above- and below-water domains. Teams consisting of UAVs, USVs, and AUVs/ROVs must coordinate tasks and trajectories while accounting for different platform capabilities, motion and energy constraints, communication limitations, localisation uncertainty, and dynamic environmental conditions.

The goal of this research position is to develop optimisation-based methods for cooperative mission planning, task allocation, trajectory coordination, and control of heterogeneous maritime robotic systems. Depending on the candidate’s interests and background, the research may include topics such as:

• Optimisation-based mission planning and task allocation for heterogeneous multi-robot systems
• Cooperative trajectory planning and coordination of UAVs, USVs, and AUVs/ROVs
• Optimal control and Model Predictive Control (MPC) for autonomous and multi-robot systems
• Convex and non-convex optimisation methods for robotic planning and control
• Distributed and decentralised coordination and decision-making for multi-robot systems
• Communication-aware and connectivity-constrained multi-robot coordination
• Adaptive mission planning under changing robot availability, mission priorities, and environmental conditions
• Cooperative navigation and coordination under localisation uncertainty and GNSS-denied conditions
• Validation of cooperative planning and control methods through simulation, laboratory experiments, and field trials at MARBLE pilot sites

The work will combine theoretical research in optimisation, optimal control, and multi-robot systems with practical implementation and experimental validation. Developed methods will be integrated with MARBLE’s heterogeneous robotic platforms and evaluated in cooperative inspection and mapping scenarios, including smart marina and aquaculture environments, in collaboration with MARBLE researchers and international partners. 

 

About us: 

MARBLE – Centre of Excellence for Maritime Robotics and Technologies for a Sustainable Blue Economy - is a non-profit research organisation, financed by the European Commission under the prestigious Horizon Europe Teaming programme, founded by the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing.

The main goal of MARBLE is to engage Croatia in a path of sustainable innovative growth in the blue economy in a strategic partnership with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the National Research Council (Italy). The strategic vision of MARBLE is to put Croatia on the map of R&I excellence by becoming a European lighthouse and a role model in the field of maritime robotics and technologies, focusing on key research areas identified as essential enablers with the highest impact on the blue economy sectors aligned with the Smart Specialization Strategy of Croatia. 

CoE MARBLE is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. Recruitment is based solely on merit, with transparent and gender-neutral selection criteria applied to all candidates regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or family status. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Conduct research activities related to cooperative planning and control of heterogeneous maritime robots under the supervision of senior researchers
• Develop, implement, and validate optimization-based mission planning, task allocation, trajectory coordination, and control algorithms for heterogeneous multi-robot systems
• Integrate developed methods with robotic platforms and contribute to simulation, software development, laboratory experiments, field trials, and data analysis
• Publish scientific results in international journals and conferences 
• Collaborate with project partners and participate in meetings, workshops, and dissemination activities 
• Fulfil study obligations according to the regulations of the enrolled doctoral programme 

Workplace: 

• CoE MARBLE – Centre of Excellence in Maritime Robotics and Technologies for Sustainable Blue Economy, Froudeova 13, 10020 Zagreb 

Where to apply

E-mail

[email protected]

Requirements

Research Field

Other

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Job Requirements: 

• MSc degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics and Automation, Control Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related discipline
• Excellent academic record 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills 
• Programming experience in Python and/or C, C++ 
• Experience with optimisation, control, autonomous systems, multi-robot systems, and/or robotics software development
• Very good written and spoken English skills 
• Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary research team 

Experience in one or more of the following areas is considered an advantage: 

• Optimisation-based planning, scheduling, or decision-making
• Optimal control and Model Predictive Control (MPC)
• Multi-robot systems, cooperative control, or distributed coordination
• Trajectory planning, guidance, navigation, and control
• Multi-robot mission planning and task allocation
• Communication-aware or connectivity-constrained robotic coordination
• Marine robotics or maritime technologies
• ROS/ROS2 and robotic software frameworks
• Experimental work with UAVs, USVs, AUVs/ROVs, or other autonomous vehicles
• Scientific writing and publication in peer-reviewed venues

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Benefits

What we offer: 

Contract type:

• Type of contract: Full-time, 40 hours per week  
• Number of positions available: 1 
• Contract duration: 3 years  

Stipend - Paid PhD Scholarship 

 Other benefits:

• Competitive salary 
• Education/training and continuous professional growth 
• Access to innovative research projects and new technologies 
• Modern work environment with all the required tools to perform the job 
• Paid local transportation expenses to and from work 
• Free parking space 
• Food costs compensation 
• Team building 
• Flexible working hours in agreement with the Head of Department 
• Medical check-up 
• Extraordinary occasional payments 

Selection process

Selection Process: 

CV screening and shortlisting the candidates who fit the requirements of the Job Ad 

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to take an online Personality and Ability Test  

Employment Interview – the candidates with the best fit will be called for an Interview with the Selection Committee 

Candidates may be required to do a short assignment to check their professional and problem-solving skills. 

Job Offer and Signing the Employment Contract with the chosen candidate 

How to apply:  

We invite you to submit an application package, including the following documents:  

• Cover letter, where you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.  
• Curriculum Vitae (CV), including the contact information of three references. Please note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the selection process; we therefore recommend that you notify your references in advance. 
• Copies of your BSc and MSc degree certificates and transcripts.  

Send your application package to [email protected] . Shortlisted candidates will be contacted shortly after their application for the next steps in the selection process.  

Envisaged job starting date: Fall 2026 

Application deadline: September 20, 2026 

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Centar izvrsnosti MARBLE drustvo s ogranicenom odgovornoscu za istrazivanje i razvoj

Country

Croatia

City

Zagreb

Postal Code

10000

Street

Froudeova ul. 13

Geofield

Contact

City

Zagreb

Website

https://www.marble.eu/

Street

Unska ulica 3

Postal Code

10000

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED

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