Aix-Marseille University

Job Purpose: The POD robotics team is building up 3 specific domains capabilities to meet complex industry demands that spans across hardware, software, and AI. Adding a Full-Stack Robotics PO would add to the capability of the robotics team. This role will establish our technical standards by leveraging ROS2 and RMF to build standardised, reusable middleware for multi-robot coordination and fleet management as we embark to integrate with JTC ODP and enable center for conducting the testing certification at PDD when the sandbox is established. Knowledge of Embodied AI (SLAM, Reinforced Learning) is also critical for developing shared, plug-and-play autonomy capabilities that drastically accelerate project development speed. With a strong foundation in Mechatronics, this individual guarantee hardware-software integrity and mitigates technical risk by prototyping and troubleshooting physical components in-house. Recruiting this role is a strategic necessity to fuse these disparate domains, allowing the team to deliver robust, standardised modules and support our applied research portfolio. Key Responsibilities Participate and manage the industry project with Principal Investigator (PI), Co-PI and team members to ensure all project deliverables are met Involve in customer engagements, includes gathering of systems requirements and formulate scope Involve in the full development life cycle, i.e., design, development, and testing Generate technical proposals, design documents, test document Job Requirements Strong foundation in electrical engineering, mechanical design, mechatronics or systems engineering Project experience with sensor integration (e.g., LiDAR, cameras, IMUs), actuators, and motor control Experience in ROS (Robotics Operating System) or ROS 2, including package creation, message passing, and launch configuration. Experience with Robotics Middleware Framework (RMF) for multi-robot system coordination, fleet management, and interoperability is highly desirable. Proficiency in PCB design/prototyping, troubleshooting hardware issues, and using lab equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, etc.) will be an added advantage. Good programming skills in C, Python and/or C++ in a Linux environment (e.g. Ubuntu) Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git or CVS). Knowledge and some practical experience in areas such as Reinforcement Learning (RL), imitation learning, motion planning, computer vision, or SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) as applied to physical robotic agents will be an added advantage. A Master's degree (or a Bachelor's degree with 8+ years of relevant experience) in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral Research Fellow position within the Astronautics Group, in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The post will work on a collaborative project involving industry and academia, funded substantially by the UK Space Agency. This is part of the UK Space Agency National Space Innovation Programme just announced by UKSA. The overall project is to develop a dual mode chemical-electric space propulsion system, using water as the propellant. Through electrolysis of water oxygen and hydrogen are produced, which can both be burnt in a chemical thruster, but also used as a propellant within a Hall Effect ion thruster. The project involves companies Protolaunch (chemical thruster) and Naicker Scientific (electrolyser), with University of Southampton working on the development of a Hall thruster operating on oxygen. Specifically the Research Fellow position will involve the design, manufacture and testing of a Hall ion thruster operating on oxygen. This will be based upon our World leading expertise in the development of Hall thruster technology specifically operating on alternative propellants, as described in other publications (doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.047, and 10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.01.033). The research will make use of our identified methods to adjust Hall thruster designs for operation with alternative propellants, that we have applied to Hall thrusters operating on magnesium to nitrogen.  You will join a team of eight researchers working on different aspects of space propulsion, as part of our team working in the David Fearn Electric Propulsion Lab at the University of Southampton. It will be expected that the researcher actively engages with industry involved, and with the research team, with opportunities to travel to conferences during the project duration. It is desirable that the person has experience in designing and testing ion thruster technology, or a demonstrated aptitude for learning new fields of research. The person should have a PhD, or equivalent qualifications and experience, in aerospace engineering, experimental beam physics, or other ion beam uses. It is desirable that the person has experience of operating large vacuum chamber facilities, and a strong aptitude towards experimental testing. Additionally, a strong track record of high-quality journal publications is an advantage. If you have any questions please contact Dr Charlie Ryan, c.n.ryan@soton.ac.uk. At the University of Southampton, we value diversity and equality. The University recognises that employees may wish to have working patterns that fit with their caring responsibilities or work-life balance. Due consideration will also be given to applicants who have had career breaks for reasons including maternity, paternity or adoption leave, disability or illness. Both the University of Southampton and Chemistry are proud to hold Athena Swan Silver Awards.

Job Purpose The Professional Officers Division (POD) houses a centralized pool of academic staff under the Professional Officers scheme. Professional Officers come with specialised and deep technical skills acquired through extensive industry experience. They form the talent pool which brings a much-needed industry perspective to student learning. They facilitate applied learning and applied research in SIT, complementing the academic expertise of the faculty to bring industry practices and applications into the curriculum. Professional Officers leverage on their industry experiences to create authentic learning environments, where discovery and innovation take place. They act as coaches and mentors to students during practical learning activities such as laboratory sessions, Capstone Projects and the Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP). Professional Officers could also lead or work with faculty on industry innovation projects to provide solutions to the industry. In addition to their role in applied learning and applied research, Professional Officers manage the centralised laboratory facilities and resources in SIT. With Technical Officers, laboratory safety professionals, and administrators in POD, they jointly develop central policies and processes for the safe and seamless operation of laboratories in SIT. Key Responsibilities Design and teach labs & practice modules. Mentor students in Capstone Projects and the Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP). Lead or co-lead innovation projects with industry. Manage labs and equipment to support academic programmes and applied research. Ensure safety in labs Job Requirements Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field from a recognized university. Experience: A seasoned technical specialist with 10+ years of industry experience in software development lifecycles, with strong technical expertise and hands-on development experience. Programming Languages: C#, C/C++, Python, Java. Software Engineering Principles: Expertise in Object-Oriented Design, Microservices, and API Development. Cloud & DevOps Technologies: Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD Pipelines, and cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP. Passion for supporting research and academic projects, with a track record of developing software solutions to address technical challenges. Extensive industry experience and knowledge to provide valuable industry perspectives in an academic setting. Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with a keen interest in working closely with students in a learning environment. Committed to continuous learning and staying updated on industry advancements. Professional certifications in relevant areas will be an added advantage. Candidates with exposure to Big Data and AI technologies will have an added advantage in supporting advanced research and applied projects.