Postdoc in Learning-Based Multi-Agent Control under Uncertainty

The Department of Electronic Systems at the Technical Faculty of IT and Design invites applications for a postdoc in learning-based multi-agent control under uncertainty, with applications to autonomous multi-robot systems operating in dynamic and uncertain environments, as per February 1, 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is available for a period of 2 years.

Your work tasks   
The position focuses on fundamental research in learning-based planning and control of interacting autonomous agents under uncertainty. You will develop new theoretical and algorithmic approaches for distributed and cooperative control, combining learning or online adaptation with principled treatment of safety, robustness, and performance. Research challenges include uncertain dynamics and disturbances, partial or noisy information, changing interactions between agents, and limited or unreliable communication.

A central part of the work will be to formulate rigorous methods and establish their properties, for example concerning stability, safety, constraint satisfaction, robustness, and convergence, where applicable. Depending on the research direction, the work may draw on learning-augmented model predictive control, safe reinforcement learning, data-driven modelling and safety mechanism (e.g. CBF), distributed optimization, or robust and adaptive control. You will develop reproducible numerical studies and simulations to examine the strengths, limitations, and scalability of the proposed methods.

The research will be carried out in the Horizon Europe ROX-6G project, where heterogeneous robot teams provide a compelling application for coordination under uncertain conditions and connectivity constraints. Although the position is primarily theoretical, you will collaborate with colleagues working on robotic implementation and will contribute to experimental validation. You will lead and co-author publications in international journals and conferences, engage with project partners, contribute to research planning and scientific discussions, and support knowledge exchange within the team.

Your competencies   
We seek a researcher with a PhD in control engineering, robotics, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, or a closely related field, and a strong background in mathematical modelling, control, optimization, or multi-agent systems.

You should be able to formulate original research problems, develop and analyse rigorous methods, and demonstrate research quality through peer-reviewed scientific publications. Experience in learning-based control, robust or nonlinear control, distributed control, or decision-making under uncertainty is particularly relevant; expertise in every one of these areas is not expected.

You should have good scientific programming skills, for example in Python, MATLAB, or C++, and be able to evaluate algorithms systematically through simulation. We value independent research initiative, clear scientific writing, and the ability to work constructively with researchers from different disciplines and backgrounds. Experience with autonomous robots, ROS/ROS 2, multi-robot simulation, or physical robotic experiments will be considered an advantage, but is not a prerequisite for this primarily theory-oriented position. Excellent written and spoken English is required.

Who we are    
In electronic engineering, Aalborg University is known worldwide for its high academic quality and societal impact. The Department of Electronic Systems employs more than 200 people, of which about 90 are PhD students, and about 40 % of all employees are internationals. In total, it has more than 600 students in its BSc and MSc programs, which are based on AAU's problem-based learning model. The department leverages its unique research infrastructure and lab facilities to conduct world-leading fundamental and applied research within communication, networks, control systems, AI, sound, cyber security, and robotics. The department plays an active role in transferring inventions and results into applications in close collaboration with industrial partners worldwide. You can read more about the department at www.es.aau.dk.

The position is hosted in the Automation and Control Section, within a collaborative robotics research environment combining fundamental research with real-world applications.

In addition, you will work with an international team and research partners in ROX-6G, a European collaboration addressing autonomous robotic operations in demanding underground environments. Our research interests span safe and resilient decision-making, learning-enabled control, distributed multi-robot coordination, and validation in simulation and on robotic platforms. We encourage scientific independence, close exchange of ideas, and publication of high-quality research. More information: www.es.aau.dk.

Qualification requirements 
Appointment as postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level.

How to apply  
Your application must include the following:

- Application, stating reasons for applying, qualifications in relation to the position, and intentions and visions for the position 
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) 
- Diplomas (master's degree diploma and PhD diploma) 
- List of publications, with an indication of the attached publications that you wish to be taken into account in the assessment. You may attach a maximum of five publications. 
- Documentation of teaching qualifications if relevant.
- Dissemination qualifications, including participation on committees or boards, participation in organisations etc. 
- Additional qualifications in relation to the position 
- References/recommendations

You can read more about the requirements for your application here.

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Aalborg University has a policy of parallel language use. International staff are encouraged, with support from the university, to learn Danish during their employment in order to support their integration into the workplace and Danish society.

Danish language courses will be offered as part of the employment.

Do you have any questions? 
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information 
Read more about our recruitment process here

The appointment process at Aalborg University involves a shortlisting process. You can read more about the shortlisting and appointment process here.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Salary and terms of employment  
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities. Furthermore, your terms of employment and salary are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities.

You can find information about the salary and salary structure for the position in the Salary Overview for Recruitment - Scientific positions (VIP). Please refer to the introductory section of the page and the section entitled “Postdoc”.