Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Multi Robot Scouting

University of Oxford - Oxford Robotics Institute and the Department of Engineering Science

Location: Oxford
Salary: £39,424 to £47,779 per annum
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract
Placed On: 1st April 2026
Closes: 29th April 2026
Job Ref: 185763

Central Oxford

We are seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Research Assistant to join the Dynamic Robot Systems Group of the Oxford Robotics Institute and the Department of Engineering Science in central Oxford. This project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is fixed-term for 24 months.

The project “TMNT – Threat Monitoring Networked Team” will develop multi-robot scouting approaches to explore and interact with a set of challenging scenarios. This project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is in collaboration with Autodiscovery. TMNT will focus on a team of highly mobile Unitree A2 legged/wheeled robots, equipped with manipulators, sensing and networking payloads. The project will build approaches to collaborative exploration to enable efficient mapping and monitoring of a previously unknown environment. The scenarios range from planetary exploration, with a deployment planned for the ESA Luna Facility, to industrial and commercial settings. This position will focus on using and developing learning-based perceptive approaches.

You will develop learning and/or optimization based approaches to multi-robot path and motion planning and coordination, integrating multi-modal perception and online state estimation. Part of the project will include locomotion in challenging terrain and interaction/manipulation with the environment. You will be responsible for the design, development, implementation and evaluation of multi-robot scouting methods suitable for wheeled-legged systems in physically-realistic simulated environments and on real robots.

You will hold or be close to completion of a PhD/DPhil in robotics, computer science, machine learning, informatics, AI, or a closely related field. You will have an excellent academic track record in topics relevant to locomotion and manipulation; path and motion planning, whole-body control, multi-contact manipulation/locomotion, machine learning and optimization, avatar animation or related areas. You have experience working on real robots and great team working skills.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof Ioannis Havoutis (email: Ioannis.havoutis@eng.ox.ac.uk subject tag [PDRA Robot Scouting])

For more information about working at the Department, see www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/work-with-us/

Only online applications received before midday on 29 April 2026 can be considered. You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, including a brief statement of research interests (describing how past experience and future plans fit with the advertised position), CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

The Department holds an Athena Swan Bronze award, highlighting its commitment to promoting women in Science, Engineering and Technology.

Robotics, legged/legged-wheeled, loco-manipulation, scouting, multi-robot coordination.