Become part of the new and highly motivated, international machine learning and robotics research group at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at KIT. The mission of the Machine Intelligence and Robotics Lab is to create a new generation of autonomous and intelligent machines by combining a priori model knowledge, open-source architectures and software, real machine data with the latest machine learning methods and high-performance robotic hardware components.

Making fast and accurate decisions while processing large amounts of data from various sensors in real time with local computing resources is a critical requirement for mobile robots. The aim of this PhD position is to design of an energy-efficient solution for edge AI, by using neuromorphic architectures that minimize the energy footprint by exploiting brain-inspired spike-based computing paradigms. The challenge is to combine multimodal event-based sensor sources for the use in an unstructured dynamic environment with our legged walking robot ANYmal D. This requires new complex algorithms to effectively extract and fuse relevant information. Your research in the new Machine Intelligence and Robotics Lab will contribute to improving the adaptability, autonomy and machine intelligence of future mobile robots.

What you can expect from us:

• A stimulating environment to innovate and develop cutting-edge machine learning approaches for dynamic force-based assembly, grasping, and positioning tasks.
• The opportunity to enhance your expertise in creating robust and energy-efficient multimodal sensing systems using spiking neural networks (SNN) for event-based sensor data (Active Efficient Coding).
• A chance to design and implement an adaptive bio-inspired, neuromorphic perception architecture and integrate it on a mobile legged robot.
• Extensive opportunities to collaborate and communicate within an international project focused on event-based neurorobotics.
• Hands-on experience in developing software architectures and components, particularly with ROS/ROS2, and testing them on the advanced legged robot ANYmal D.
• Involvement in teaching and contributing to the fields of neurorobotics, AI, and perception.
• Continuous support for your personal and professional growth, including training and career development opportunities.
• The opportunity to work within an enthusiastic, highly motivated, international, and diverse team.
• The possibility to pursue a PhD within a new scientific robotics lab at KIT, contributing to groundbreaking research in robotics.

• Excellent Master's degree in computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics or a related technical or scientific field at a top university
• Profound experience in robotics, machine learning and/or computer vision
• Background in neuromorphic computing, Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) and/or event-based sensors
• Strong programming skills in C++ and/or Python
• Previous experience of working with the ROS/ROS2 software framework
• Enthusiasm towards scientific work, interest in publications at international conferences and collaboration in an international robotics and ML team
• High level of commitment and initiative combined with creativity
• Good team player and motivation to take part in robotic challenges
• Excellent written and spoken English

Salary

Salary category 13 TV-L, depending on the fulfillment of professional and personal requirements.