Do you want to make a difference in patients’ quality of life by creating innovative robots that are able to treat incurable diseases? Are you excited about contributing to scientific research in surgical robotics? Are you able to think outside the box to find innovative solutions to life-threatening diseases?Do you want to join a world-leading team of roboticists, manufacturing engineers, and clinicians? 

We are looking for a proactive individual to join our Science and Technology Of Robotics in Medicine (STORM) Lab, bringing their excitement for scientific research in surgical robotics with them. 

At the STORM Lab, we strive to improve the quality of life for people undergoing soft-tissue surgery and flexible endoscopy by creating miniature and non-invasive robots. This includes the creation and investigation of miniature capsule-like or tentacle robots to work inside the human body. At the STORM Lab, we are designing and creating soft and compliant robotic devices that can be used within the human body to detect and cure diseases in a non-invasive way.

This role is created by a major European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant awarded to the STORM Lab, which aims to define a new generation of surgical tentacle-like robots that can be magnetically guided within the human body by magnetic fields. The candidate will work on the ERC granted project NoLiMiTs (Novel Lifesaving Magnetic Tentacles, EU contract number 818045) aiming at exploring innovative processes to manufacture patient-specific intelligent magnetic tentacles, modelling their behaviour under an external controllable magnetic field and filed gradient, and testing them in realistic anatomical models.  

The fabrication and manufacturing elements will be conducted in collaboration with Professor Russell Harris of the Future Manufacturing Processes Research Group at the University of Leeds.

Holding a PhD (or close to completion) in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Robotics or related disciplines, you will have a proven track-record in medical device design and/or robotic systems, together with a proactive, enthusiastic approach to research.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Pietro Valdastri, PhD, Professor of Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 3706 or email: p.valdastri@leeds.ac.uk 

Further information

The Faculty of Engineering is proud to have been awarded the Athena Swan Silver Award from the Equality Challenge Unit, the national body that promotes equality in the higher education sector. Our equality and inclusion webpage provides more information.

Location:      Leeds - Main Campus
Faculty/Service:      Faculty of Engineering
School/Institute:      School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Section:      Institute of Robotics, Autonomous Systems and Sensing
Category:      Research
Grade:      Grade 7
Salary:      £33,199 to £39,609 p.a.
Post Type:      Full Time
Contract Type:      Fixed Term (2 years (grant funding))
Closing Date:      Sunday 01 September 2019
Downloads: Candidate Brief