PhD student in Dynamics and Control of Legged Robots

Do you want to be a part of the on-going revolution in the field of humanoid robotics and their successful deployment in industry? Do you find the idea of working on a high fidelity multi-body dynamics simulation and controls toolbox fascinating? The research of the PhD student will touch upon various topics multi-body dynamics, optimal control theory, machine learning and robotics and artificial intelligence in general. The focus is broadly upon the development of numerically stable and efficient computational algorithms, their implementation and testing with computer programs, both in simulation as well as real robotic systems.

Information about the project and the department
The Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2) and consists of seven research divisions within the areas of mechanical engineering and maritime sciences: Dynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Vehicle Safety, Vehicle Engineering & Autonomous Systems, Combustion and Propulsion Systems, Marine Technology and Maritime Studies. The seven divisions conduct fundamental and applied research in close collaboration with national and international universities, research centers and industries.

The Division of Dynamics , where the PhD student will be situated, has its research activities organized through four major research groups: Mechanical systems, Structural dynamics, Wave propagation and Railway mechanics. You will be joining an emerging research lab led by Dr. Shivesh Kumar and will have the opportunity to contribute to a new focus on legged robotics and athletic intelligence research within the division. The teaching activities of the Division of Dynamics are very broad, from several courses at bachelor level on mechanics and solid mechanics to masters' level courses such as finite element methods, rigid body dynamics, structural dynamics, and structural dynamics control. The aim of the Division is to be world-class in both teaching and research with a mixture of theoretical and applied activities.

Main responsibilities
Your major responsibilities as PhD student is to pursue your own doctoral studies. This includes developing scientific concepts and communicating research results verbally and in writing to the scientific community. The position is a full-time temporary employment with a time limited to 5 years, including teaching or other departmental duties corresponding to 20% of working hours. 

Read more about doctoral studies at Chalmers here .

Qualifications
Masters of Science degree* in Robotics & AI or classical majors such as Mechanical Engineering/Electrical Engineering/Aerospace Engineering/Computer Science with a specialization in themes such as robotics, systems & control engineering, mechatronics etc.

Required Skillset:

Meritorious (motivate your cover letter and CV with these in mind):

* MSc students who will conclude their degree before 1st July 2025 are welcome to apply.
# Students attending ICRA 2025 in Atlanta, feel free to reach out to me to arrange for a meeting while I am there.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years, and starts with a one year employment. You will be employed by Chalmers and will receive a salary according to current salary agreements.

What we offer
Chalmers provides a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg .
Read more about working at Chalmers  and our benefits  for employees.

Application procedure
The application should be written in English and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.

CV:(Please name the document: CV, Family name)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter:(Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application deadline: 31st May 2025

For questions, please contact:
Dr Shivesh Kumar, Division of Dynamics,
shivesh.kumar@chalmers.se

Dr Hakan Johansson, Division of Dynamics,
Hakan.johansson@chalmers.se

URL to this page
https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=13797&rmlang=UK