PhD student in Autonomous Adaptive Underwater Sampling and Reconnaissance

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Computer Science

Autonomous Adaptive Underwater Sampling and Reconnaissance (AUSAR)

An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is often used as an alternative to human divers or remotely controlled vehicles when there is a need to gather information under water. Examples of such missions include investigating sources of oil spills, tracking boundaries of algae blooms, mapping the extent of methane seeps on the seafloor, searching for mines or investigating damages on underwater cables.

In this project we will study control and decision making for autonomous AUVs performing such sampling and reconnaissance missions in an adaptive way. The objective in all examples above is to collect data of some sort, and this collection should be adaptive in the sense that the AUV acts in response to the data it senses, the environment around it, and the state of the vehicle itself. For example, the collected data might indicate an unexpected item or region of interest from which additional high resolution data is needed, an unforeseen obstacle might block the intended path, or the current internal localization error might be large enough to render the data useless, requiring the vehicle to first improve localization and then continue collecting data. In all these cases, the AUV must adapt to the new situation and act accordingly to successfully complete the mission. This project is a part of the Swedish Maritime Robotics Center (SMaRC).

Supervision: Prof. Petter Ögren

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Work and study in Stockholm, close to nature and the water.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. Candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• acquire knowledge within the fields of control theory, robotics and machine learning,
• independently pursue his or her work,
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyse and work with complex issues. 

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal skills. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. In the case of studies that are to be completed with a licentiate degree, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

Union representatives

Contact information for union representatives.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

Contact information for doctoral section.

To apply for the position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing, recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.