Postdoc within resilient autonomy in underwater operations
Deadline: 12.12.2021
SINTEF
SINTEF is one of Europe's largest research organisations, with multidisciplinary expertise in the fields of technology, the natural sciences and the social sciences. SINTEF is an independent foundation and has conducted contract research and development projects for the private and public sectors since 1950. SINTEF has 2000 employees from 75 countries and annual revenues of three billion Norwegian kroner.
Vision: Technology for a better society.
SINTEF Ocean is one of the six institutes that make up SINTEF. We conduct research and generate innovation in the field of ocean space for both Norwegian and international industries. Our ambition is to advance Norway’s leading position in the fields of marine engineering and biomarine research. We work closely with the business sector and the public authorities to develop tomorrow’s sustainable solutions for exploitation of the oceans. Our head office is in Trondheim, and we have branch offices in Tromsø, Oslo, Ålesund, Bergen and Hirtshals in Denmark.
SINTEF Ocean is one of the six institutes that make up SINTEF. We conduct research and generate innovation in the field of ocean space for both Norwegian and international industries. Our ambition is to advance Norway’s leading position in the fields of marine engineering and biomarine research. We work closely with the business sector and the public authorities to develop tomorrow’s sustainable solutions for exploitation of the oceans. Our head office is in Trondheim, and we have branch offices in Tromsø, Oslo, Ålesund, Bergen and Hirtshals in Denmark.
In our Department of Aquaculture Technology we have a 2-year vacancy post-doctoral research fellow (Postdoc) position in the domain of "Resilient Robotic Autonomy for Underwater Operations in Fish Farms”.
About the position
The Postdoc candidate will work on the challenging research problem of resilient autonomy in underwater operations in the aquaculture domain. In particular, the envisioned research relates to the problem of Robust Collision-free Motion Planning for Operations in Highly Dynamic Environments. The activity will be part of the project «ResiFarm: Resilient Robotic Autonomy for Underwater Operations in Fish Farms» funded by the Research Council of Norway. SINTEF is the project owner.
Underwater robotic systems such as the Argus Mini ROV, the BlueROV2 and the Eelume robot will be provided as platforms for field trials and demonstrations in the Flume Tank and SINTEF ACE facilities of SINTEF Ocean.
The position is affiliated with SINTEF ACE RoboticLab and grants access to various facilities, lab environments and fish farms for theoretical studies and experimental campaigns. The SINTEF ACE RoboticLab has leading research in robotic technology and autonomy in fish farms, and demonstrated performance in a collection of world-class projects funded by both European and US sources. Indicative instances of our work can be seen in the following videos: Video: CageReporter, Video: SINTEF ACE, Video: Artifex - Autonomous net-following, Video: TNA Facilities.
The position reports to Dr. Eleni Kelasidi as the main scientific supervisor of the research.
Duties of the position
The position is part of our research envisioning to reshape the underwater operations in dynamic, complex and perceptually-degraded environments. ResiFarm challenges the frontiers of resilient autonomy by aiming to deploy autonomous robots in industrial fish farming environments involving thousands of moving fish, deformable structures, water with varying qualities, strong currents and hydroacoustic noise. To enable this vision, we intend to develop new fundamental knowledge and key technologies for the multi-modal fusion of diverse exteroceptive and proprioceptive sensing modalities enabling the accurate localization, mapping, motion planning and collision-avoidance in such challenging underwater environments. Our team has extensive expertise in the domain of perceptually-degraded Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM). As a Postdoc in this position, your task will be to extend this line of research, break new ground and identify the necessary novel solutions that can facilitate seamless underwater motion planning inside fish farm environments assuming no (or only intermittent) access to external signals. The Postdoc candidate will work closely with the PhD students affiliated with SINTEF ACE RoboticLab. It is a prerequisite that you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis. We prefer that you start in the position in Q1, 2022.
Required qualifications
PhD and strong academic background within (at least) one of the topics
Control engineering
Underwater robotics
Motion planning
Machine learning
Excellent English skills (written and oral)
Preferred selection criteria
Knowledge and skills within the following areas: Robotics, computer science, statistics, machine learning, state estimation, sensor fusion, autonomous systems, embedded systems
Experience in programming (Python, C++, etc.)
Experience with the Robot Operating System (ROS)
Personal characteristics
Be scientifically curious and open to new research challenges
Demonstrate independence and persistence in addressing technical problems
Be flexible and reliable, with ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team
We offer
Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
An open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
A modern pension scheme and excellent insurance arrangements
Flexible working hours
Competitive salary level
The Postdoc position offers a very good way to get to know SINTEF and may lead to a permanent position as researcher.
About the application
The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.
The application must include:
Application letter
CV, certificates, and diplomas
Publication list
Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and/or master's and PhD degrees.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact:
