Postdoc Multi-robot Mobile Manipulation in Human-Centered Environments

You will be responsible for the work on motion planning for mobile manipulation and collaborate with two PhD students within the context of ERC project "INTERACT".

Mobile robots are not yet capable of seamless interaction in human populated environments, primarily due to the high complexity of modeling and reasoning over the effect that robot actions have on other robots and humans, and the inherent uncertainty. Humans rely on intuition, namely the ability to understand interaction instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning. The goal of this project is to provide mobile robots with the ability to reason about their coordination with other agents and the associated risks, take appropriate actions and continuously reassess.

In this project we will take a holistic view on the interaction of mobile robots and humans, where we will consider multiple spatio-temporal granularities ranging from individual interactions to the interaction of a robot fleet with the humans in a city, and from short term (local) to long term (global) effects of the interaction. You will work on motion planning for mobile manipulation and together with two PhD students, you will integrate intuition models in uncertainty-aware trajectory optimization methods to compute safe interaction-aware trajectories for mobile robots.

Thus, you will make a fundamental contribution towards intuitive multi-robot interaction, making it possible for teams of mobile robots to safely interact in human-centric environments and enabling a new level of automation in factories and cities.

You will work on the ERC Starting Grant project "Intuitive Interaction for Humans among Robots (INTERACT)" and be embedded within the Autonomous Multi-Robots Lab in the Department of Cognitive Robotics at TU Delft.

The goal of the Autonomous Multi-Robots Laboratory at the Delft University of Technology is to develop novel methods for navigation, motion planning, learning and control of autonomous mobile robots, with a special emphasis on multi-robot systems, on-demand transportation and robots that interact with other robots and humans in dynamic and uncertain environments. Building towards the smart cities of the future, our applications include self-driving vehicles, mobile manipulators, micro-aerial vehicles, last-mile logistics and ride-sharing. See: https://www.autonomousrobots.nl/

The main focus of the Cognitive Robotics department is the development of intelligent robots and vehicles that will advance mobility, productivity and quality of life. Our mission is to bring robotic solutions to human-inhabited environments, focusing on research in the areas of machine perception, motion planning and control, machine learning, automatic control and physical interaction of intelligent machines with humans. We combine fundamental research with work on physical demonstrators in areas such as self-driving vehicles, collaborative industrial robots, mobile manipulators and haptic interfaces. Strong collaborations exist with cross-faculty institutes TU Delft Robotics Institute and TU Delft Transport Institute), our national robotic ecosystem (RoboValley, Holland Robotics) and international industry and academia. http://www.cor.tudelft.nl/

The candidate has (or will soon have) a PhD degree in Robotics, Controls, Machine Learning, or a related field. The candidate must be able to work at the intersection of several research domains, have a proven publication record, and have a passion for doing ground-breaking theoretical research and applying it to real robots. Good programming skills and experience with programming languages such as Python and C++ are important. Excellent command of the English language is required, as well as excellent communication skills. Candidates with a background in motion planning and/or robotics are especially encouraged to apply. Experience with machine learning and/or multi-robot control is a plus.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (salary indication: € 4.036 - € 5.090 per month gross). The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service . This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

This position is a temporary assignment until the end of 2024.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here  to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos  will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Associate Professor Dr. Javier Alonso-Mora ([email protected] ).

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 25 March 2024 via the application button and upload:

The review of applications will be continuous as applications are received.

The preferred starting date is April 15th 2024. However, this is flexible and can be negotiated.

Notes
- You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
- Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.