DRagonfly Aeroelastic Gaiting for Optimised Navigation - 2026_IDR_DAER_9

Politecnico di Milano; Italia; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Politecnico di Milano seeks a researcher for the DRAGON project fellowship focusing on aeroelastic stability, computational tool development, and bio-inspired autonomous systems. The role involves advancing 2D/3D simulations, immersed boundary methods, and energy harvesting concepts, with evaluations of candidates’ aptitude and language knowledge during oral testing.

The fellowship emphasizes multidisciplinary research across fluid-structure interaction, numerical methods, and autonomous

Job description

Organisation/Company Politecnico di Milano Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Leading Researcher (R4) First Stage Researcher (R1) Established Researcher (R3) Application Deadline 2 Nov 2026 - 12:00 (UTC) Country Italy Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Not Applicable Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The DRAGON project pursues three interconnected scientific objectives:
1. Fundamental understanding — Deepen the physical understanding of coupled mechanisms between flexible structures and complex flows, identifying key parameters governing aeroelastic stability, passive shape adaptation, and unsteady force generation in dragonfly-inspired configurations.
2. Computational tool development — Extend the existing 2D FEM/FSI solver to efficient 2D and 3D simulation of compressible, turbulent fluid-structure interactions using immersed boundary and XFEM techniques, validated against experimental benchmarks.
3. Bio-inspired autonomous systems — Pave the way towards autonomous systems capable of self-propulsion and energy harvesting through active optimal control, identifying optimal motion laws that exploit fluid-induced oscillations for net thrust generation.

Oral test aimed at ascertaining candidates’ aptitude and suitability to carry out the research activity covered by the Fellowship, as well as at assessing their knowledge of English and/or other languages relevant to the research activities to be performed (up to 50 points)

Relevance and pertinence of the publications, theses and scientific products attached to the research programme covered by the Fellowship (up to 15 points)

Relevance and pertinence of previous research activities and work experience, if any, in relation to the research activity covered by the Fellowship (up to 15 points)

Relevance and pertinence of their study programme to the research programme covered by the Fellowship (up to 20 points)

• EUROPE

Eligibility of fellows: country/ies of residence:

• All

Eligibility of fellows: nationality/ies: