Research Associate in Physical Intelligence

Full-Time:  35 hours per week

Fixed-term: for up to 24 months

The Opportunity:

Where curiosity becomes impact

With roles from hospitality to research, there’s a career for everyone at the University of Edinburgh. We can offer opportunities for you to develop in your career and make a real difference in the communities around us while contributing to the world at large.

We offer careers and roles in just about every area you can think of. Whether you are looking for entry-level, mid-career or roles at the top of your chosen specialism, we can offer you a career where you can flourish and make a real difference in the communities around us while contributing to the world at large. Our people come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing their abilities and experiences to our organisation.

The University isn’t just any employer. We are part of a local community and a contributor to global thinking, progress and research. In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors, while working in a University that has made significant contributions to society, medicine, physics and teaching for over four centuries. Our people have helped create the modern world and are working on more ground-breaking technologies and practices. Join the University of Edinburgh and you’ll be making a difference to everything around you.

The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We look for the best in the field across all disciplines and provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. We offer the full range of academic roles and have a genuine focus on our students performance and wellbeing.

The successful candidate will conduct research at the interface of soft sensing, robotics, machine learning and signal processing, with the aim of developing physical intelligence for next-generation soft and embodied robotic systems. The research will involve developing sensing and perception methods that enable robots to understand their own body state and interactions with the physical environment, and integrating these capabilities into robotic platforms for extensive experimental validation.

The Research Associate will work within an interdisciplinary research team spanning sensing, robotics, electronics and artificial intelligence, and will be encouraged to develop and lead new research ideas arising from the ERC project.

Your skills and attributes for success: 

• A PhD, or near completion of a PhD, in robotics, electrical/electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong research experience in at least two of the following areas: soft/flexible sensors, robotics, machine learning, signal processing, or embodied/physical intelligence.
• Experience in developing and experimentally validating sensing, perception or learning methods on physical robotic or mechatronic systems.
• A strong track record of research appropriate to career stage, together with excellent problem-solving, communication and collaborative working skills.

Apply Before: 05/10/2026, 23:59