Postdoctoral fellowships at School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh

Applications are invited for two Postdoctoral Research Fellows in the area of Learning Robotics and Adaptive Control as part of an EU-IST FP7 funded project. The posts are available from Mar. 2009 for a maximum of 34 months and located in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. Salary is on the UE07 scale (’£29,704-’£35,469) with annual increments and full staff benefits.
Placement for the post is according to experience and qualifications.
Post One: Robotics and Adaptive Control
The candidate is expected to have good fundamentals in control theory and most importantly, hands on experience with writing software and controlling robotic hardware. The appointee will be responsible for direct implementation of adaptive control paradigms on biophysical simulations and on state-of-the-art novel variable impedance actuators.

http://www.jobs.ed.ac.uk/vacancies/index.cfm?fuseaction=vacancies.detailvacancy_ref=3010336

Post Two: Statistical Learning and Adaptive Control Theory
The candidate is expected to have a strong background in optimization, statistical learning and adaptive control theory and some familiarity of concepts such as direct policy learning, stochastic dynamic programming and optimal feedback control. An interest and knowledge of variable impedance strategies in human motor control is a definite advantage. The appointee will be responsible for development of effective adaptive control strategies and algorithms that exploit variable stiffness paradigms.

https://www.jobs.ed.ac.uk/vacancies/index.cfm?fuseaction=vacancies.detailvacancy_ref=3010337


Both posts will involve traveling to project partner meetings around Europe, periodic reporting at EU reviews as well as attending and disseminating work at international conference. The post also assumes leadership roles and some level of PhD supervision on topics relevant to the project.

The successful candidates will have a PhD (or expected completion) in the area of (learning) robotics, probabilistic machine learning and/or adaptive motor control; strong mathematical skills in the area of optimization, algebra and control theory; strong programming skills in C, C++, MATLAB or equivalent; some experience with writing software and control of real hardware systems; a good understanding of adaptive control paradigms

More details of the job and the research group can be found at:
http://www.ipab.inf.ed.ac.uk/slmc


Applicants are asked to submit your curriculum vitae including a statement of interest justifying your suitability for the post you are applying for and contact details of two referees using the online application procedure at:


Application Deadline: February 20, 2009


Informal enquiries may be addressed to:
Dr. Sethu Vijayakumar (sethu.vijayakumar@ed.ac.uk )