About Khalifa University

Khalifa University is ranked 181st in the QS World University Rankings 2023, and the top University in the UAE, with a range of research and academic programs designed to address the entire range of strategic, scientific and industrial challenges facing our rapidly evolving world.

Its world-class faculty and state-of-the-art research facilities provide an unparalleled learning experience to students from the UAE and around the world. Our research and academic activities cover a broad range of disciplines in engineering, science and medicine through our three colleges.

Khalifa University’s research relates to key focus sectors of relevance to the UAE’s strategic economic growth and the technology platforms that serve as foundations for these sectors. The University’s research priorities are addressed in two categories “verticals” and “horizontals”  which jointly cover specific industry and sector needs, technical platforms and expertise.

KU’s focus sectors are Clean and Renewable Energy, Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production, Water and Environment, Healthcare, Aerospace, and Supply Chain and Logistics. Research in these sectors is enhanced by our research platforms of Robotics, AI and Data Science, Information and Communication Technologies, and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing as well as Fundamental Sciences.

Position Overview

KU is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to work in the “modular neuromorphic multi-sensor system for intelligent manufacturing robots in industry 4.0” project funded by Sandooq Al Watan’s SWARD grant. The aim of this project is to develop a “Modular Neuromorphic Multi-Functional Sensor” that could be employed on a wide range of industrial robots to provide the perception requirements for the most common robotic manufacturing tasks such as inspection, drilling, painting, etc. The sensing module accommodates different types of cutting-edge technologies such as: tactile sensing, machine vision, and laser metrology; all of which will be encapsulated into a single modular package. The project will employ our patented vision-based tactile sensing (VBTS) technology to provide more precise, affordable and portable haptic capabilities that enable robots to perform manufacturing tasks and exceed human-level performance, all while using small and lightweight sensors. The candidate would work in customizing a VBTS sensor for different industrial automation processes and develop novel algorithms for the sensor to provide the required measurements.

As part of the project, the researcher will have access to state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities at the Advanced Research and Innovation Center (https://www.aric.ae/) and will get an opportunity to work alongside researchers and graduate students from various backgrounds as part of a wider team.

Position Requirements

• Customize VBTS sensors for integration at different industrial automation tasks.
• Develop Computer Vision and Deep Learning algorithms for the VTBS sensor.
• Support the deployment of the developed perception system strategic manufacturing sectors of the UAE.
• Publish the research findings in reputable conferences and journals.
• Support graduate and undergraduate students conducting relevant research projects.
• Adhere to the University's information security and confidentiality policies and procedures, and report breaches or other security risks accordingly
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Line Manager

Qualifications

Candidate Profile

Essential Criteria

• Masters from a reputable university in Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Science or related discipline
• Experience in developing and deploying fully autonomous robotics systems.
• Experience in programming with: Python, and C/C++.
• Experience in Computer Vision and robotic manipulation.
• Experience of undertaking assigned research tasks and starting to manage own workload
• Contributing to scientific papers and academic journal articles where possible acting as lead/ corresponding author
• A willingness to contribute to a collaborative and supportive team culture
• Excellent English language communication skills (verbal and written)
• Ability to function as part of a team working on multiple tasks with competing demands and deadlines
• Well-developed reasoning and problem-solving skills

Desired Criteria

• Masters gained from and/or experience working in a top 200 QS or THE ranked University
• At least 2 year of increasingly accountable relevant experience as a researcher in academia or in industry
• At least 1 lead author publication in a Q1 journal in the relevant field
• Experience contributing to high impact publications in top 10% journals in the relevant field

Should you require further assistance or if you face any issue with the online application, please feel to contact the Recruitment Team (recruitmentteam@ku.ac.ae).

Primary Location: KUK – Khalifa University
Job: Research Associate
Schedule: Regular
Shift: Standard
Job Type: Full-time