Dear colleagues,

The Space & Terrestrial Autonomous Robotic Systems (STARS) Laboratory at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) has an opening for a talented postdoctoral researcher to work on multiple projects in the area of collaborative mobile manipulation (perception, navigation, and planning). More details follow below.

Note: I will be at IROS from November 4 to 7 – please contact me if you would like to meet in person to discuss the position!

THE STARS LABORATORY & THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO:

The STARS Laboratory envisions a future in which in which robotic systems are pervasive – widely deployed in assistive roles across the spectrum of human activity (robots everywhere!), persistent – able to operate reliably and independently for long durations, and perceptive – aware of their environment, and capable of acting intelligently when confronted with new situations and experiences. We carry out research at the nexus of sensing, planning, and control, with a focus on the study of fundamental problems related to perception, representation, and understanding of the world. One main focus of our work is collaborative mobile manipulation. An important aspect of our research is the extensive experimental validation of our theoretical results, to ensure that our work is useful in the real world. We are committed to robotics as a science, and emphasize open source contributions and reproducible experimentation. The Director of STARS (Prof. Kelly) holds the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Collaborative Robotics.

Through STARS, you will join an outstanding group of researchers as part of the recently-launched University of Toronto Robotics Institute. The U of T RI is the focus of a major institutional effort to expand and unify robotics research and teaching efforts across all U of T campuses. The University of Toronto is consistently ranked as the top postsecondary institution in Canada, and among the best worldwide (#18 in this year’s THE World University Rankings). Toronto is a vibrant, multicultural city and Canada’s technology centre.

JOB DESCRIPTION & OPPORTUNITIES:

The successful applicant will carry out research related to collaborative mobile manipulation – specific projects involve certifiably optimal estimation and planning, multisensor fusion for manipulation, tactile sensing, semantic mapping, and deep and reinforcement learning. The postdoc will be expected to guide and shape new research in these areas. As a STARS postdoc, you will help to push the state of the art in the field, using cutting-edge hardware.

The position is designed to provide the postdoctoral researcher with training in all key areas relevant to an academic career: research, grant-writing, and student supervision and mentoring. Depending on the qualifications and interests of the successful applicant, there may be an opportunity to teach or co-teach at the undergraduate or graduate level.

SKILLSET DESIRED:

The most important qualifications for the position are a passion for robots and a strong motivation to substantially enhance their capabilities – you should have a deep desire to see robots transition out of labs and factories and into human-centric environments (where they will work alongside people).

Applicants should possess the following (in rough order of importance):

A Ph.D. in a robotics-related field with a strong mathematical background (math and physics applicants welcome).

Excellent spoken and written English language skills.

Programming experience in C++, Python, and/or MATLAB.

Experience with computer vision and multisensor perception (nice to have).

Experience with robotic manipulation, tactile sensing, and grasping (nice to have).

Experience with the Robot Operating System (ROS) (nice to have).

STARTING DATE:

The starting date is negotiable, beginning as early as January 15, 2020, and preferably no later than March 1, 2020. Applications will be evaluated starting on November 15 and will continue to be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please send a single email message to jkelly@utias.utoronto.ca with ‘postdoc’ in the subject line and include the following:

1. Your CV, listing all of your publications. Please highlight the three publications you consider to be the most relevant.

2. A short (1/2-3/4 page) letter of intent, describing your experience and career goals.

3. A list of two or more (preferably) references who are able to comment on your research abilities.

All documents should be submitted *in PDF format only*. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me directly at jkelly@utias.utoronto.ca.

Best,

Jonathan

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