PhD Candidate in Generative AI Methods for Robotic Manipulation
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About the job
For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.
We are seeking an ambitious PhD candidate to join the Robotics and Automation research group. Here, you will be part of an innovative group of researchers working on cutting-edge AI-technologies for robotics and automation and sharing this research with the world. You will be responsible for pushing the state of the art in robotic manipulation, by developing novel generative AI algorithms that leverage robotic systems equipped with advanced grippers and rich sensing modalities.
Your immediate leader is Associate Professor Lars Tingelstad.
Duties of the position
conduct research and develop state-of-the-art generative AI approaches, such as diffusion models, for robotic manipulation that leverage robotic systems equipped with advanced grippers and rich sensing modalities
engage in both theoretical research and practical experimentation, including simulation-based studies and hands-on work with robotic systems
write high quality, readable code than can be used and built upon by team members
collaborate in small teams and working independently under the supervision of experts in the field
publishing your groundbreaking findings in top-tier, peer-reviewed conferences and journals
pass 34 ECTS credits of PhD-level or high-level university courses
write a PhD thesis, and defend it in front of a committee of experts
Required selection criteria
you must have a professionally relevant background in Robotics, Machine Learning, Computer Science or a related field
experience with robotics fundamentals such as manipulation, perception, planning, and control
experience with machine learning models, and frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, etc.
experience with programming languages such as Python, C++, or similar
your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level
you must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education
you must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program
good written and oral English and Norwegian language skills
The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant
Preferred selection criteria
experience working with robot grasping, in simulation and/or on real hardware
familiarity with robotics frameworks such as ROS
demonstrated research and software engineering experience via an internship, work experience, coding competitions, or widely used contributions in open source repositories (e.g. GitHub)
experience solving complex problems and comparing alternative solutions, tradeoffs, and diverse points of view to determine a path forward
experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment
Personal characteristics
ability to work independently and in a team
excellent communication skills and strong writing capabilities
creative and solution oriented
passionate for learning and discovery in interdisciplinary research
Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.
We offer
- exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
- an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
- favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- employee benefits
Salary and conditions
As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
The period of employment is 3 years.
Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Engineering within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.
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The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.
It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.
About the application
The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.
Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.
The application must include:
CV and certificates
transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted
a copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position
project proposal (maximum 2 pages)
name and contact information of three referees
if you have publications or other relevant research work
If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well.
We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.
In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.
NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.
General information
NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.
NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality.
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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.
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As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Lars Tingelstad, telephone +47 97736854, email [email protected]. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Hedda Winnberg, e-mail: [email protected].
If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.
Application deadline: 07.02.2024