Assistant professor or Postdoc position on planning and control of robotic production operations for large maritime s...

SDU Robotics, part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), invites applications for a fully funded Assistant professor or Postdoc position in the area of model- and simulation-based planning and control of robotic production operations (e.g. welding) in the maritime sector.

The starting date for the position is as soon as possible in 2022, and it will be agreed with the successful candidate. The position as Assistant professor is for a 3-year period and as Postdoc for a 2-year period. Main work location is Odense/Denmark at SDU and Odense Havn (Odense Port).

Research environment

The candidate will be part of the ramp-up of SDU’s newly established center for Large Structure Production (LSP). LSP’s central ambition is to provide a physical “go-to” lab for companies in the sectors maritime, construction and energy to carry out research, development and testing of novel solutions in the production of large structures, such as buildings, ships and offshore platforms. In this context, the candidate is expected to work closely with our industrial partners on application-oriented use cases, while helping to commission and operate the unique set of equipment of the center.

LSP is integrated in the unit SDU Robotics that is at the core of the Odense Robotics Cluster involving 130+ startups and established companies in robotics. We are specialized in robot solutions involving modelling, simulation and control of advanced robot technologies (systems and services) for industrial, welfare and medical applications.

Our group is involved in a variety of national and European projects and features a strong network of academic and industrial partners. We solve challenging research problems derived from real-life challenges by implementing novel robot solutions. We value teamwork, professional diligence, enthusiasm for robotics and the drive to adopt new skills and extended responsibilities. We offer an open, international team, with flexible work organization and support of individual development.

Job description

The starting point for the candidate to develop their academic profile in LSP will be the development of Digital Twin-based solutions for analyzing, simulating and controlling robotic operations together with our partners Inrotech and Odense Maritime Technology. The aim is to yield a well-defined digital workflow from product design to production operations that is proven in real-life experiments.

The candidate will design and implement methods to i) analyze maritime structure designs based on digital models and discrete-event simulations of their production, and ii) implement means of automated control of robotic equipment based on detailed quasi-continuous 3D simulations of the required production operations, including multiple robots, tools and sensors.

Profile and requirements

The candidate is expected to have most of the following qualifications:

• PhD degree in engineering with outstanding academic track record
• Documented knowledge in industrial robotics and various types of simulation
• Documented practical experience with industrial robot operations, e.g. welding
• Strong programming skills (particularly in C/C++ and Python)
• Strong mathematics skills and practical knowledge in 3D modelling
• Ability to work independently as part of an agile team, with a strong sense of responsibility
• Willingness to engage in application-oriented R&D, by closely interacting with company staff

Contact information

For further information, please contact Professor Christian Schlette via email ([email protected]) or on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/christian-schlette/).

If you experience technical problems you must contact [email protected].

Conditions of employment
Employment as assistant professor or postdoc requires scientific qualifications at PhD level. Employment is temporary and is as assistant professor for a 3-year period and as postdoc for a 2-year period. The employment will cease without further notice at the end of the period.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please check links for more information on salary and taxation.

Relevant for the postdoc position:
Research will be predominant in the postdoc position. Teaching assignments can be agreed individually. Furthermore, other types of assignments may occur to a limited degree. The Faculty determines the distribution of the various assignments. The weighting of the different assignments may vary over time. The assessment process
Read about the Assessment and selection process. Shortlisting may be used.

Application procedure

The faculty expects applicants to read How to apply before applying.

The application must be in English and must include:

• Motivated application
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae
• Certificates/Diplomas (MSc and PhD)
• Information on previous teaching and supervision experience. Please attach as Teaching Portfolio.
• List of publications indicating the publications attached
• Examples of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication
• Reference letters, names of references and other relevant qualifications may also be included.

The application deadline is 15 September 2022.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.