Luleå University of Technology is one of Sweden’s leading universities in the area of AI, especially in field robotics, with ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems) researchers at various stages, as well as unique labs for field robotics, deep learning, and human computer interaction. Furthermore, Luleå University of technology is very strong in industrial collaboration.

The Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (RAI) subject at the department of Computer Science and Electrical and Space Engineering at Luleå University of Technology, is now looking for excellent researchers contributing to our growing activities. The RAI team is conducting fundamental research in all the aspects of robotics with a specific focus on Aerial, ground and Space robotics.

The vision of RAI is aiming in closing the gap from theory to real life, while the team has a strong expertise in field robotics. Specific application areas of focus are robotics for mines, construction sites, aerial inspection of aging infrastructure, multi-robotic search and rescue, multi sensorial fusion and multirobot coordination, including multirobot perception, decentralization and mission execution.

The RAI team has a strong European participation in multiple R&D&I projects, while RAI was also participating in the DARPA SUB-T challenge with the CoSTAR Team lead by NASA/JPL.

The RAI group is part of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP). WASP is Sweden’s largest individual research program ever, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education and faculty recruitment. The program addresses research on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems-of-systems. The vision of WASP is excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software for the benefit of Swedish industry.

To strengthen our team on Robotics and AI, we recruit excellent researchers working in one or more of the following areas in Robotics perception and autonomy:

- Deep Learning
- Data Augmentation
- Machine Vision
- Data driven learning
- Reinforcement Learning
- Learning Based Control

Duties
Associate professors must be involved in education, educational development and research at the university. Associate professors must also keep abreast of the international development of the subject and supervise doctoral students. Associate professors are expected to contribute to the university's development, to work for obtaining external funding to the subject and to be available for managerial and administrative tasks.

The duties of associate professors also include managing research projects, communicating the outcomes via academic publications and being active in the research community within their own subject.

Furthermore, the associate professor is expected to collaborate with industry and society and to contribute to the activities of the WASP program and its national activities. The associate professor will be given opportunity to develop their independence as researcher and gain accreditation that may allow them to take other teaching positions with higher eligibility requirements (see Chapter 4, Section 12 a of the Higher Education Ordinance). Following application, the assistant professor can apply for promotion to professor in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12 c of the Higher Education Ordinance.

Qualifications                                       
Qualified for an appointment as associate professor are those who have demonstrated both research and teaching expertise. As much attention must be given to the assessment of teaching expertise as to the assessment of research expertise.

In order to meet the requirements for the appointment as associate professor, the applicants must:

- have demonstrated a research profile showing a clear progress after the completion of the doctoral thesis, and scientific contributions equivalent to at least two doctoral theses
- have worked as an independent researcher via, for example,
- research-related commissions of trust as an external expert or a reviewer,
- experience of applying for and being granted, in competition, external funding for research and development projects,
- participation in national and/or international research projects, and publications together with researchers within research environments other than the applicant’s own environment.
- have experience of supervising doctoral students, and have been the assistant supervisor for at least one doctoral student for at least two years, unless there are special grounds to the contrary
- have demonstrated teaching expertise
- completed courses in higher education pedagogy corresponding to 7.5 credits or otherwise have acquired equivalent knowledge
- have the ability to collaborate with the wider community demonstrated through, for example,
- dissemination of new knowledge to the wider community,
- incorporation of societal needs into research and/or education contexts.

Assessment criteria
The following assessment criteria apply to this position:

- research expertise
- teaching expertise
- other assessment criteria.

Other assessment criteria (listed in order of importance):

- mobility/international experience (e.g., PhD outside of Sweden and/or significant amount of time after the PhD spend outside of Sweden)
- proficiency in development and leadership of activities and staff at an university
- the ability to collaborate with the wider community
- the ability to obtain external research and development funding
- the ability to communicate research and development work

Information
The employment is a permanent position and is placed in Luleå.

For more information, please contact: Professor and Head of subject George Nikolakopoulos, +46 (0)920-491298, george.nikolakopoulos@ltu.se Head of division Andreas Johansson, +46 (0)920-492334, andreas.johansson@ltu.se

Union representatives: SACO-S Kjell Johansson, +46 (0)920-49 1529 kjell.johansson@ltu.se  and OFR-S Lars Frisk, +46 (0)920-49 1792 lars.frisk@ltu.se

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application
We prefer that you apply for this position by clicking on the apply button below and attach the requested application documents including diplomas (certified and translated into Swedish or English), pedagogical self-reflection and publications, etc. We prefer that applicants follows the Instructions for applicants. Note that the applicant´s educational qualifications should be particularly documented. Mark your application with the reference number below. Please write your application in English. We often have English speaking external experts.

Closing day for applications: May 31, 2023
Reference number: 4713-2022