Postdoctoral Fellowship in Marine Robotics and Autonomous Systems - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to the development of fully autonomous ocean observing systems composed of swarms of miniature underwater robots, unmanned surface vessels, and drones?

As part of an ongoing expansion process, the Department of Mechanical, Electronics and Chemical Engineering at OsloMet is hiring one Postdoctoral fellow (100%). The appointment is for a term of 2 years. With the Department expanding there might be adverticed permanent positions.

Area of Research

The fellow will contribute to the OASYS http://www.oasys-project.eu/

(Ocean-Air synoptic operations using coordinated autonomous robotic SYStems and micro underwater gliders) research project, funded by EU Horizon 2020 ERA-NET cofund MarTERA. OASYS is a multidisciplinary research project in collaboration with NTNU, Norwegian Polar Institute, and TriOS GmbH.

One of the barriers towards a better understanding and sustainable development of marine related economic activity is the high cost associated with ocean observing systems. Autonomous robotic systems are steadily modernizing the way we obtain data and interact with the ocean. However, most of existing autonomous systems still require the involvement of manned missions in the deployment/recovery phases which represents a substantial share of the total operational costs. The OASYS project will develop an innovative fully automated Ocean-Air coordinated robotic operation with the potential to drastically reduce the cost of ocean observing systems. The project proposes the development of a swarm of low cost Micro Underwater Gliders (MUGs) that can operate autonomously with the support of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) for deployment, recovery, battery charging, and communication relay. The system reduces human intervention to a minimum, revolutionizing the affordability of a broad range of surveillance and data collection operations. The technologies developed through the project will enable the creation of future products, solutions, and scientific research, related to the commercialization of the autonomous observing systems and the generated data. The proposed observing systems will be demonstrated during sea trials in Trondheim fjord and in a tidewater glacier in Svalbard, Norway.

OsloMets role in the project is the development of a fleet of Micro Underwater Gliders (MUG) that can be deployed and recovered using UAVs and USVs. In particular, the candidate will perform research and development in the areas of

• Mechanical design and optimization of variable buoyancy systems
• Electro-mechanical design and miniaturization
• Energy storage and inductive battery charging strategies
• Autonomous deployment/recovery mechanisms using UAVs/USVs
• Navigation and motion control strategies

The candidate will work mainly in the area of Marine Robotics, Autonomous Systems, Bio-inspired robotics; as a member of the Automation, Robotics, and Intelligent Systems (ARIS) research group. The position will involve collaboration with other researchers, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers from OsloMet, NTNU, and the Norwegian Polar Institute.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or relevant Field
• Experience in one or more of the following topics: robotics, electro-mechanical design, control systems
• High motivation for the research work described above
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written

Desired skills

• Experience in development of mechanical / electromechanical prototypes
• Experience with one or more of the following: marine robotics, electric motors, servo drives, micro-controllers, hydraulics, hydraulic seals, pressure vessel design
• Basic programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, plan and direct own work, and be goal-oriented
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams.

It is important for OsloMet to reflect the population of our region, and all qualified candidates are welcome to apply. We make active efforts to further develop as an inclusive workplace and to adapt the workplace if required.

We can offer you

• an exciting job opportunity at Norway’s third largest and most urban university
• a dynamic professional working environment with challenging tasks in an area of substantial development
• a unique academic and research collaboration across different research groups
• beneficial pension arrangements with the Norwegian State Pension Fund
• good employee welfare arrangements and free Norwegian classes to employees and their partners
• relocation support, cultural courses and on boarding services
• working location in downtown Oslo with multiple cultural offers

OsloMets International Career Site gives information on living and working in Oslo.

Expert evaluation

An expert committee will assess applicants. You must upload the following documents together with your online application by the final date for applications:

• CV, references and all pages of certificates/diplomas and transcripts. The documents must include ECTS grades (A–F). Foreign diplomas must be translated into English by the degree-conferring institution. Education taken abroad should preferably be recognised in advance by NOKUT, and a confirmed copy of the letter of recognition should be enclosed.
• Up to 10 academic documents including your PhD dissertation and a list of your publications, if relevant
• Names and contact details of at least 2 references.

Please apply electronically to this position by clicking on the button «login and apply». All the documents must be in either English or a Scandinavian language. Any translations must be government authorized. Originals must be presented if you are invited for an interview. OsloMet performs document inspections in order to give you as a candidate a proper evaluation and ensure fair competition. Original documents and valid passport must be presented if you are invited for an interview.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

The application must state your reasons for applying to the project and what makes you particularly qualified to carry out this work.

Contact information

For further information about the fellowship and the project, please contact

Associate Professor Alfredo Carella, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, OsloMet, email: alfredo.carella@oslomet.no

Associate Professor Alex Alcocer, Dept. Electrical Engineering, OsloMet, email: alex.alcocer@oslomet.no

Professor Tor Arne Johansen, Dept. Engineering Cybernetics, NTNU, email: tor.arne.johansen@ntnu.no

For information about processing of applications or if you have any problem uploading documents, please contact HR advisor Mette Bjørtomt, e-mail: metteb@oslomet.no.

Remuneration

Salary is set in accordance with the Norwegian State Salary Scale, position code 1352 Post doc NOK 524 200 – 658 300. By law 2% of the salary is deducted as to the Norwegian State Pension Fund.

OsloMet is an IA (Inclusive Workplace) enterprise and operates in compliance with the Norwegian IA agreement. According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) your name may be published on the public applicant list even if you have requested non-disclosure. You will in this case be contacted before your name is published.

Ref.:      18/06719             

OsloMet has implemented the Charter & Code and been certified by the EU Commission with HR Excellence in Research (HRS4R) and is part of the EU network for mobility of Researchers Euraxess.