Postdoctoral Research Associate

The successful candidate will work within Durham University’s new Space Research Centre (SPARC) and the Department of Computer Science. SPARC is a £5 million hub for interdisciplinary space research, training and industry engagement, addressing cross‑disciplinary space‑related challenges. In the Department of Computer Science you will have access to well‑equipped labs featuring vehicle‑mounted sensors (LiDAR, radar, camera, GPS/IMU), drone operations, robotics, geo‑localisation, BCI/EEG, robotic arm manipulation, X‑ray security imaging, virtual reality and on‑demand wide‑area surveillance video feeds.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop AI, perception and computer vision algorithms for target detection and state estimation in space.
• Develop robotic motion planning methods for task‑informed manipulations.
• Integrate robotic systems for assembly of robotic testbeds.
• Evaluate the developed algorithms on real hardware and robotic testbeds.
• Engage with the Business School to explore research pathways and collaborations on circular economy and supply chains in space.
• Communicate specialist or technical material to team members and external audiences through presentations and written reports.
• Publish high‑quality outputs, including peer‑reviewed journal papers and conference papers.
• Assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• Conduct independent research projects under guidance of the Principal Investigator or Grant‑holder.
• Identify research opportunities, develop new methods and expand the research portfolio.
• Resolve research problems by discussing solutions with the Principal Investigator or Grant‑holder.
• Build relationships with internal and external researchers to support future collaborations.
• Plan and manage own research activity and resources in collaboration with colleagues.
• Deliver training in research techniques to peers, visitors and students.
• Contribute to a collegial, inclusive and respectful working environment.
• Engage in wider citizenship to support the department and academia.
• Participate in professional development through teaching programmes or committee membership.

Qualifications

• PhD degree (or imminent completion) in Robotics, Computer Science, Space Technology or a closely related subject; or strong postgraduate qualifications.

Experience

• High‑quality academic research experience.
• Formal academic and report writing at a higher‑education level.
• Presentation of research papers at national or international conferences.
• Experience in one or more research areas relevant to the project.
• Experience in robotic manipulation (planning, control, grasping).
• Experience in AI‑based robotic vision (learning‑based segmentation, pose estimation).
• Experience with robotic simulation (Gazebo, CoppeliaSim, MuJoCo, IsaacSim).
• Experience working with real robots and sensors.
• Experience in robotics for space applications and space engineering.
• Experience in business modelling and circular economy.

Skills

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Mathematical and computational skills for technical development.
• Collaborative team working and autonomous task management.
• Strong presentation and communication to diverse audiences.
• Ability to propose novel research ideas, attract collaboration and manage independent research.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• 30 days annual leave, 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year (total 42 days).
• Generous pension scheme with automatic enrolment into the University Superannuation Scheme.
• Parking across campus, cycle‑to‑work scheme, Tusker Car Benefit Scheme for electric or hybrid vehicles.
• Professional development courses, apprenticeships and qualifications support.
• Health and wellbeing support, including discounted gym membership and 24‑7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• On‑site nursery rated Outstanding by Ofsted, holiday camps for children aged 5‑16.
• Family‑friendly policies: generous maternity and adoption leave.
• Opportunities for volunteering in the local community.
• Exclusive discounts via the benefits portal (groceries, retail, IT, dining).
• Salary sacrifice schemes for tax savings.
• Assistance with relocation, visa costs and loan scheme for dependant visas.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are under‑represented in our workforce, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups. Durham University is a Disability Confident Leader and commits to fair treatment throughout the recruitment and interview process.