Postdoctoral Research Associate in Introspective Robotic Perception

• Join a world-leading research centre developing intelligent robotic systems

• Develop robotic processing architectures capable of high-level introspective perception and reasoning

• Full time, 2 year fixed term position, Level A, Base Salary $105,314 - $112,690 + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

We are seeking an ambitious and talented Postdoctoral Research Associate to undertake fundamental research related to the development, design, and deployment of novel introspective perception architectures for robotic systems. The role is part of a recently funded ARC Discovery Project, and extension beyond the 2-year appointment is possible contingent on performance and availability of funds.

This project seeks to establish the tools and knowledge required to construct resilient robotic systems capable of handling previously unseen perceptual challenges. This entails recognising inconsistencies and failures in past decisions, proposing explanatory hypotheses to revise past beliefs, revising future decision-making processes, and where necessary seeking clarifying evidence. The project entails proposing rich representations, processing architectures, and underpinning mathematical tools that support detecting, quantifying, reasoning about and reconciling perceptual inconsistencies and errors. The resulting system will be capable of meta-perception: it will reason about its own perceptual limitations, delivering resilience in a breadth of challenging robotic applications.

This project brings together researchers from the University of Sydney and the QUT Centre for Robotics (QCR). The role is co-supervised by Dr Donald Dansereau, head of the Robotic Imaging lab, and Prof Stefan Williams, head of Marine Robotics, within the Australian Centre for Robotics (ACFR). The project is in collaboration with A.Prof Thierry Peynot who leads the Space Robotics group at the QCR. The ACFR is one of Australia’s leading robotics research groups with a long history of fundamental and applied research in robotic perception, navigation, and control. As part of the project the successful candidate will have opportunities to validate their research on marine platforms as well as at the Yandiwanba Lunar Tesbed in Brisbane. The project will afford opportunities to collaborate within the broader university community and with industry partners across a breadth of application domains.

In this role you will:

• conduct robotics research in close collaboration with a team of project academics, engineers, and PhD students,

• develop and characterise novel robotic perception and processing architectures,

• work hands-on with robotic platforms to validate and refine your approach, and

• contribute as a researcher to project report preparation, presentation at internal workshops, and dissemination at top international conferences and journals as well as via internal workshops and presentations.

About you

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values. We are seeking an excellent candidate for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position who has:

• a PhD (or near completion) in a relevant field,

• expert knowledge in at least one of robotic sensing and perception; learning and processing architectures; or mapping and knowledge representation,

• extensive experience with one or more programming languages (C, C++, C#, Python, Matlab),

• experience with machine learning in robotics or computer vision,

• a desire to advance resilient, introspective processing architectures in robotics,

• a desire to work hands-on with robotic platforms,

• a proven ability to conduct high-quality research as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, and

• Knowledge and experience in one or more of sensor fusion, SLAM, navigation, planning, field robotics, and active perception would be an asset.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values include diversity and inclusion and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this commitment through our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTIQ. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or support filling out this application, please contact Rebecca Astar or Cherie Goodwin, Recruitment Operations, by email to recruitment.sea@sydney.edu.au.

For specific enquiries about the role, please contact Dr Donald Dansereau by email to donald.dansereau@sydney.edu.au

© The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

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