Postdoctoral Research Associate- IRIS Lab

Location: Main Campus

Open Date: 2026-03-18

Deadline:

The Innovative Robotics and Interactive Systems (IRIS) Lab (https://irislab.nd.edu/) at Notre Dame seeks applications for a postdoctoral position in the area of sensing and control of soft growing vine-inspired robots for urban search and rescue applications. This project is funded by and conducted in collaboration with the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. See this video (https://youtu.be/DaMCTH4qZTE?si=tRXwWLBd2Kih4Bdr) for an overview of the project. The IRIS Lab is associated with the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (https://ame.nd.edu/) and the Robotics group (https://robotics.nd.edu/) at Notre Dame.

What we offer:

• Support and mentorship for professional development tailored to individual goals
• Regular interactions with colleagues and visiting speakers in robotics
• Vibrant university community in a city with affordable cost of living

What we're looking for:

• Interest in contributing to high-quality publications and field demonstrations of novel soft/continuum robot sensing and control strategies based on acoustic sensors, inertial measurement units, and visual cameras, ideally with background in one or more of those areas
• Motivation to be the primary driver on a project
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Enthusiasm for your own professional development and that of graduate/undergraduate students

Start date is flexible, available as soon as March 2026 and preferred by Summer 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

For additional information:

Dr. Margaret (Coad) McGuinness (mmcguinness@nd.edu)

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: Postdoctoral applicants should have a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, robotics, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications: The ideal applicant will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a high level of initiative.

Candidates with a background in soft/continuum robot sensing and control, and/or proficiency in ROS, Python, C++, MATLAB, and Arduino are preferred.