Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Robotics - Automated Disassembly of Electric Vehicle Batteries

About the position

A fixed-term 100% position is available at the University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering and Science as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Robotics, affiliated to the Department of Engineering Sciences, for a period of two years. The position is located, at the present, at Campus Grimstad. The starting date is 01.01.2023 or to be negotiated with the faculty. The successful applicant will become part of Top Research Centre Mechatronics (TRCM) at UiA, in collaboration with Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research UiA and partners from the HORIZON EUROPE project named RHINOCEROS (Batteries reuse and direct production of high performances cathodic and anodic materials and other raw materials from batteries recycling using low cost and environmentally friendly technologies). Rhinoceros will develop, improve, and demonstrate, in an industrially relevant environment, an economically and environmentally viable route for re-using, re-purposing, re-conditioning, and recycling of End-of-Life EV and stationary batteries.

Research topic

The focus of this post-doctoral fellowship is to employ most recent mechatronics techniques to optimise and automate a dismantling process of EV batteries. The cognitive agent will send primitive actions that will serve as input in the dismantling process, where necessary tools are chosen to carry out the related steps that can be assigned to the various operations. AI based action selection scheme is required to decide on the sequence of operations and to define a path, where different tools must be used according to the dismantling task. The robotic system will be able to recognise and adapt to any (known or unknown) Lithium Ion-Battery (LIB). The goals are to develop advanced re/de-manufacturing technologies, with particular interest in the development of smart manufacturing tools, including manufacturing information and management systems, data sensing, computer vision, robotics, and machine learning, where machine learning is not a part of the Post-Doctoral Fellowship.

Required qualifications

• PhD degree in mechatronics, robotics, computer science, information technology or related field.
• Proven publication record in Robotics, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or other related technical fields
• Expert level in software frameworks and tools, such as Tensorflow/Pytorch, OpenCV, ROS, Matlab, Python, C, C++
• Experience in perception, object recognition (segmentation, clustering, localisation), collision avoidance and motion control.
• Experience in robotic instrumentation including sensors and tools.
• Excellent skills and knowledge of algorithms used in signal processing
• Written and spoken English proficiency.

Further provisions relating to the positions as PhD Research Fellows can be found in the Regulations Concerning Terms and Conditions of Employment for the post of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Research Assistant and Resident.

Desired qualifications

• Experience in supervision of Bachelor, Master student projects.
• Ability for scientifically rigorous, target-oriented, organized, and independent work.
• Good communication and teamwork skills, inventiveness and a proactive hands-on approach are essential qualifications.
• Applicants are expected to contribute to a safe and inclusive working environment.
• Personal qualities and suitability for the position will be emphasized.
• Experience in industrial battery modelling.

Personal qualities

• Ability to work independently
• Close working relationships with both the industrial and academic partners
• Analytical skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills in an academic setting.

Personal qualities and suitability for the position will be emphasised.

We offer

• Professional development in a large, exciting, and socially influential organisation.
• A positive, inclusive, and diverse working environment.
• An exciting and stimulating tasks with possibilities to international academic environments.
• Modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare offers.
• Membership of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

More about working at UiA

The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.510, code 1352, NOK 573 900 – 626 300 gross salary per year. Higher salary grades may be considered for particularly well-qualified applicants. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions.

General information

UiA is an open, inclusive and co-creation university. We, encourage qualified candidates to apply for the position independent of gender, age, cultural background, disability, or an incomplete CV.

The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning the acts relating to Control of Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions.

Short-listed applicants will be invited for interview. With the applicant’s permission, UiA will also conduct a reference check before appointment. Read more about the employment process

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right.

Application

Applicants must submit their application and CV online. Please click on the link “Apply for this job”. The following documentation should be uploaded as an attachment with the online application: 

• CV with a complete list of scientific publications.
• Ph.D. thesis or link.
• Up to five representative publications or links.
• English certificate (IELTS or TOEFL) for international candidates who are not exempt from the English language requirements.
• Cover letter with a description of the applicant’s research interests the relevance of his/her expertise to the advertised position.
• A preliminary research proposal for automated disassembly of spent Lithium-Ion batteries from electric vehicles (max. 2 pages) including reference list. The outline should present and discuss possible research questions, theory perspectives, material, and a progress plan.

The applicant is fully responsible for submitting complete digital documentation before the closing date. All documentation must be available in English or in a Scandinavian language. 

Application deadline: 31.01.23

Contact

For questions about the position:

• Associate Professor Ilya Tyapin, tel. +47 37 23 38 11, e-mail ilya.tyapin@uia.no
• Head of Department Paul Svennevig, tel. 37 23 32 54, e-mail paul.r.svennevig@uia.no

For questions about the application process:

• HR Advisor Maren Tofte Røisland, tel. +47 37 23 34 55, e-mail maren.tofte.roisland@uia.no