Postdoctoral Research Associate

Role:  Postdoctoral Research Associate

Grade and Salary:  Grade 7, £36,023 - £44,263 per annum

FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE, 35hrs per week, Monday-Friday

Contract: 24 Months, Fixed Term

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

About the Team

Based at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus, the National Robotarium is supported by £21 million from the UK Government, and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government as part of the Edinburgh and Southeast Scotland City Region Deal.  The National Robotarium will translate cutting-edge research into technologies to create disruptive innovation in an expanding global market. This is an exciting opportunity, where the role-holder will have the ability to play a crucial role in a research team for a large commercial project, researching contact-implicit loco-manipulation as part of the RoMI lab group.

The Robot Motor Intelligence (RoMI) ( is a young lab that is part of the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics and Heriot-Watt University. It is dedicated to the development of motor/athletic intelligence in legged robots. Our mission is to identify computational principles that describe motor and perceptive units. We advance numerical optimization for robotics, optimal control, contact physics and deep learning to empower legged robots to perform rich-sensory and multi-contact motions in real time, including in unstructured environments.

Purpose of Role

As a Research Associate in contact-implicit loco-manipulation, you will play a pivotal role in pioneering the next generation of contact-implicit motion generation approaches for loco-manipulation in legged robots. Your responsibilities will include enhancing loco-manipulation skills in quadruped robots, creating high-quality open-source software, and pushing the boundaries of robotic capabilities.

Drawing upon your extensive research experience, you will learn and work both closely and independently with your peers and collaborate internationally with researchers from a variety of stakeholder groups. This post is a fixed-term contract associated with a commercial research project.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The post holder is required to;

• Work closely with the project leaders and team to deliver the project tasks on time.
• Publish scientific findings at top conferences in robotics and AI.
• Report verbally and in writing your work progress to project leaders and our industrial partner.
• Participate in project meetings with our industrial partner.
• Ensure confidentiality on all matters and information obtained during employment in line with the Data Protection Act

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Applicants must hold a PhD/DPhil in robotics, computer science, machine learning, informatics, AI, or a closely related field, or be close to completion or have an equivalent experience.

Essential

1. Evidence of research experience, creative and rigorous thinking.
2. Expertise in model predictive control or reinforcement learning.
3. Independent, goal-oriented research and problem-solving skills.
4. Outstanding ability to translate complex ideas into maintainable open software solutions.
5. Effective communication skills.

Desirable

1. Expertise in contact physics and numerical optimization.
2. Experience with Boost Python, GPUs, and code generation.
3. Hands-up experience with legged robots.
4. Attention to detail and time management.
5. Ability to work in a team and contribute to its success.
6. PhD degree in Robotics and AI from a prestigious research organization.
7. Experience working with Crocoddyl and Pinocchio.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

1. Ability and willingness to learn new digital skills and capabilities appropriate to your role and how it evolves
2. Understand and adhere to information security practices particularly as it relates to personal or sensitive information
3. Maintain awareness of my own digital wellbeing by being mindful of the length of time spent at a screen and the impact on mental and physical health in using digital technologies.

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Sunday 28^th April 2024.

Please submit your CV via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website   and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers   .

Use our total rewards calculator:   to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business, and industry. 

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders, and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business, and languages. Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team. 

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.