Postdoctoral Fellow - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Statler College

The West Virginia University Interactive Robotics Lab (IRL) in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University invites applications for the position of Post-Doctoral Fellow to support research in the areas of multi-agent (e.g., ground robot, UAV) systems, swarm robotics, and cooperative localization.

The IRL provides a free-thinking environment and state-of-the-art facilities that allow members to reach their full potential. At IRL, members are encouraged to develop their own creative ideas, supported by resource provided internally and from external sponsors. As a group, IRL won the NASA (Sample Return Robot) Centennial Challenge with a total prize of $855,000. Current research at IRL includes robot systems design, autonomy (e.g., decision making under uncertainty), perception (e.g., cooperative localization), and coordination (e.g., human-swarm interaction), with applications to planetary exploration, robotic pollination, among others.

Responsibilities of this position will include but are not limited to the following: formulating research questions and conducting exploratory research; robotics algorithm development; robot systems design, programming, integration, and field testing; writing scholarly articles; leading projects; mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

West Virginia University is the State’s comprehensive Land Grant University with an enrollment of about 29,000 students and a R1 Carnegie Classification. Morgantown and its vicinity have a diverse population of about 62,000 residents and are ranked highly among the most livable small cities in the country. The community lies within a high technology corridor that also includes several federal research facilities. The city is readily accessible and within driving distance from Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, DC. For more information on WVU and Morgantown, see http://www.wvu.edu and http://www.morgantownwv.gov .

The MAE Department has 35 tenure-track or tenured faculty members, about 700 undergraduate and 115 graduate students. It offers degrees at the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. levels, including dual B.S. degrees in both aerospace and mechanical engineering. You may also visit the MAE website at http://www.mae.statler.wvu.edu .

Qualifications :

Candidates are required to hold a Ph.D. in a robotics related engineering field and have demonstrated expertise with developing algorithms and software in Robot Operating System (ROS) and/or MATLAB. Candidates should also have excellent verbal and writing skills in English, should be motivated and capable of creatively working in a team environment. Strong candidates will have a track record of publication in top venues.

To apply for this position, visit www.jobs.wvu.edu. Applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, two representative publications, and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin on December 6, 2021. Only applicants who submit complete documentation will be considered in the review process. For further questions or additional information, please contact Dr. Yu Gu via email Yu.Gu@mail.wvu.edu .

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff and students, and invites applications from all qualified individuals, including minorities, females, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.