Research Assistant in Multi-Modal Embedded Sensing Systems

UCL’s Department of Computer Science is a top-ranked Computer Science Department in the UK. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework evaluation, UCL Computer Science was ranked second in the UK for research power and first in England.

The post will be based in Dr Amir Patel’s research group, which develops robotics, bio-inspired sensing and field-deployable technologies for understanding animal movement, physiology and ecosystem resilience. The role forms part of the ARIA-funded project “The Ecological Stethoscope”, which aims to develop a non-contact, multi-modal bio-scanner for measuring hidden physiological states in wildlife.

This post is part of the ARIA-funded project “The Ecological Stethoscope: A Multi-Modal Electromagnetic Bio-Scanner for Quantifying Wildlife Resilience”, which will integrate radar, LiDAR, thermal imaging and embedded sensing to estimate physiological state in animals without capture or contact.

The postholder will lead the development of the embedded data acquisition and integration platform, including sensor interfacing, timing and synchronisation, device drivers, calibration workflows, data logging, user interfaces and experimental test rigs. They will work closely with the PI, PhD researchers and collaborators to make the system robust enough for bench calibration, animal studies and eventual zoo-based deployment. The role is funded until 30th November 2027.

This role does not meet the eligibility requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa certificate of sponsorship under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore UCL will not be able to sponsor individuals who require right to work in the UK to carry out this role.

The successful candidate will have a Master’s degree in electrical or electronic engineering, computer engineering, embedded systems, robotics, mechatronics, instrumentation or a closely related discipline, with substantial hands-on experience building and integrating real hardware systems. They will have strong practical skills in embedded Linux, sensor interfacing, data acquisition, timing/synchronisation, calibration, hardware debugging and experimental system integration. Experience with ROS/ROS2, Linux device interfaces, serial/SPI/I2C/Ethernet/USB devices, cameras or imaging sensors, radar/LiDAR/thermal sensors, real-time or near-real-time data logging, and development of test rigs would be highly desirable. The role would suit someone who enjoys making complex physical systems reliable, usable and field-ready, rather than working only on software in isolation.

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. Our department holds an Athena SWAN Gold award, in recognition of our long-term commitment and 'beacon' status in advancing gender equality.