Post Doctoral Research Associate in Agri-Robotic Systems
School of Agri-Food Technology & Manufacturing
Location: Lincoln
Salary: From £38,249 pro rata
Please note: This post is fixed-term until 31 January 2026 and part-time at 0.2 FTE.
Closing Date: Monday 31 March 2025
Interview Date: Wednesday 16 April 2025
Reference: CHS207
The University of Lincoln is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in Agricultural Robotic Systems, covering Robotics and Autonomous Systems and Human-Robot Interaction. This post sits within the Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology (LIAT), an interdisciplinary research centre in the university's College of Science, and is linked with the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems (L-CAS). It is expected that you will have a strong academic background in robotics, autonomous systems, multi-robot systems, human-robot interaction, and/or in-field robotics. Experience with physical robot systems is required, and experience with in-field systems (i.e., outside controlled lab environments) and/or human-robot interaction is desirable.
You should hold a PhD or be near to completion and must be able to demonstrate an excellent track record in Robotics. Strong mathematical and programming skills (e.g., Python, C++) are expected, along with knowledge of computer vision, data mining, and/or robotics tools (e.g., ROS/ROS2, OpenCV, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch). You should be able to work on group software projects using modern tools and environments (e.g., GitHub, Docker, Ubuntu). A specific interest in sustainable agri-food production is desirable, but experience in this domain is not required.
In this post, you will design, conduct, and manage original research in agricultural robotic systems, working directly with industry collaborators. Evidence of authorship of research outputs of international standing is essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, including excellent written and spoken communication skills. The position offers the opportunity to engage in collaboration within an ambitious team, to work with state-of-the-art equipment, and to benefit from excellent support to produce and disseminate original research contributions.
The post is funded with support from an Innovate UK grant that focuses on establishing test procedures for regulating agricultural robotics activities within commercial grower settings. Some aspects of the role will be technical (development and testing of robotic processes) and some will be more related to social science (practical implementation of test processes within real-world settings).
If you would like further information or an informal discussion about this exciting opportunity, please contact Professor Elizabeth Sklar at esklar@lincoln.ac.uk.
Further details:
* Job Description and Person Specification
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