Postdoc position in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Luleå University of Technology; Luleå kommun; On-site; SEK 420,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Luleå University of Technology invites a postdoctoral researcher to advance SLAM for GPS-denied environments, integrating radar, inertial sensors, lidar and cameras, and to develop control methods for drone and ground robot collaboration. Based in Luleå, the role emphasizes real‑world field experiments and translation from lab to practice.

The position focuses on multi‑modal SLAM, sensor degradation handling, and collaboration with drones and ground robots, with opportunities for supervision and

Qualifications

• PhD in robotics, automatic control, computer science, electrical engineering or a related subject.
• Good knowledge of state estimation and SLAM, sensor fusion, or control of aerial robots.
• Experience with ROS/ROS 2 and programming in C++ and Python.
• Experience with real robots and field experiments.
• High proficiency in English (oral and written).
• Experience with radar or thermal cameras and sensor calibration is a merit.

Responsibilities

• Carry out research with substantial experimental work on real robots and field experiments.
• Publish results in international peer‑reviewed journals and major conferences.
• Co‑supervise PhD and master’s students and contribute to grant applications.
• Teaching may be included for up to one fifth of working time.

Skills

State estimation SLAM

Sensor fusion

Control of aerial robots

Programming C++ Python

English communication

Collaboration skills

Education

PhD in robotics or related field

Tools

ROS/ROS 2

C++

Python

Job description

The Robotics and Artificial Intelligence group at Luleå University of Technology works in field robotics and tests its methods on robots in real environments. We are now looking for a postdoctoral researcher to work on localisation and mapping for robots in GPS-denied environments, where dust and smoke disturb cameras and lidar. The position also covers cooperation between ground robots and drones. You will develop SLAM that combines radar, inertial sensors, lidar and cameras, and control methods that let a drone fly alongside a ground robot and land on it. We value good collaboration skills and an interest in taking research from the lab to the field.

Subject Description

Robotics and artificial intelligence aim to develop novel robotic systems that are characterized by advanced autonomy for improving the ability of robots to interact with the surrounding environment and humans during the execution of specific tasks.

Project Description

Field robots in mines, tunnels and disaster areas often work without GPS, and the air can be full of dust or smoke. Lidar and cameras then lose much of their signal. Radar and thermal cameras are less affected but give sparser or noisier data. Reliable localisation therefore needs several sensor types and a good understanding of how each of them degrades. The same missions often combine ground robots and drones. For example, the ground robot can carry the drone into the area, and the drone then explores places the ground robot cannot reach. Afterwards the drone has to land on the ground robot again, with noisy odometry and an uncertain estimate of where the ground robot is. This position will develop the estimation and control methods these missions need and test them on real robots.

• Radar-inertial SLAM and odometry for robots that operate in dust, smoke and darkness
• Methods and test environments for evaluating the accuracy of odometry and SLAM in dust and smoke-filled environments, including the collection of datasets with ground truth
• Multi-modal SLAM that combines lidar, radar, RGB cameras and thermal cameras and adapts when one or more sensors degrade, for field robots in GPS-denied environments
• Control and collision avoidance for quadrotor drones that operate together with ground robots in cooperative missions
• Methods for landing an aerial robot on ground robot carrier in presence of localization uncertainty and degraded sensing conditions.

Duties

The duties of a postdoctoral researcher are primarily research. The research has a substantial experimental part, with work on real robots and field experiments in underground and other GPS-denied environments. You will publish the results in international peer-reviewed journals and at major conferences. The position also includes co-supervision of PhD and master's students and taking part in applications for research funding from funding agencies, the EU framework programme and industry. Teaching may be included for at most one fifth of working time.

Qualifications

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, you must hold a PhD or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD in robotics, automatic control, computer science, electrical engineering or a related subject. It is a merit if the doctoral degree was awarded no more than three years before the application deadline. Candidates who were awarded their doctoral degree earlier may also be considered if there are special grounds, for example different types of statutory leave.

You need a good knowledge of at least one of the following: state estimation and SLAM, sensor fusion, or control of aerial robots. Previous work with experimentally verified results on real robots, in at least one of the research areas above, is required. You also need good programming skills in C++ and Python, and experience of ROS or ROS 2. Good oral and written English is required, since you will present the group's work in Sweden and abroad.

Experience of radar or thermal cameras, of calibration of multiple sensors, of control barrier functions or other methods for safety‑critical control, of quadrotor hardware and flight experiments, or of field experiments in underground environments is a merit.

Further information

This is a full‑time, fixed‑term position as a postdoctoral researcher for two years, with the possibility of extension to a maximum of three years in total. The position is based in Luleå. The starting date is by agreement.

For further information about the position, please contact

Chaired Professor George Nikolakopoulos, [phone], [e-mail]

Postdoctoral Researcher, Akash Patel, [e-mail]

For each position, a preliminary salary range is provided based on the requirements, responsibilities and market conditions of the role.

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Closing date for applications

15 November, 2026

Reference number

5207-2026