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The Robot Learning & Control laboratory in the Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, seeks to recruit a postdoctoral associate with a strong expertise in learning-based control for robotics, with a particular focus on ensuring passivity and stability during interactions with humans and/or the environment. This position aims to advance the development of control algorithms that maintain safety, stability, and robustness in robotic systems, while leveraging machine learning alongside differential geometry to enhance adaptability and performance. The research will emphasize the integration of Lyapunov stability, passivity-based control, variable impedance control, and imitation or exploration-based learning, particularly in scenarios involving human interaction and environmental complexities.

The successful applicant will engage in cutting-edge research with the following objectives:

Integration of Machine Learning and Differential Geometry: Develop and refine control algorithms that combine machine learning techniques with differential geometric methods to enhance the adaptability and efficiency of robotic systems in dynamic and unpredictable environments.

Passivity and Stability in Human-Environment Interaction: Focus on creating control strategies that ensure stability, which is crucial for safe and stable operations during human-robot interactions and in complex environmental settings.

Variable Impedance Control: Implement variable impedance control strategies to allow robots to dynamically adjust their stiffness and damping properties, improving interaction safety and efficiency in scenarios that require close human-robot collaboration or precise environmental manipulation.

Imitation and Exploration-Based Learning: Proficiency in applying imitation learning and/or exploration-based learning to optimize control policies, enabling robots to learn from human demonstrations and environmental interactions.

Qualifications:

• Applicants must have a PhD in Robotics, Control Theory, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a closely related field, with a strong focus on robot control, machine learning, and differential geometry.

• Demonstrated experience in developing advanced control and learning algorithms, particularly in the context of human-robot interaction, in addition to an experience in working with real robotic manipulator.

• A strong publication record in high-impact journals and conferences (e.g., T-RO, IJRR, RA-L, RAS, IROS, ICRA, CDC, etc.), showcasing your expertise.

• Proficiency in programming languages and tools commonly used in robotics, such as C , MATLAB, Python, and ROS.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

For consideration, applicants need to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae with full publication list, statement of research interests and two letters of reference, all in PDF format. If you have any questions, please email Prof. Fares Abu-Dakka at fa2656@nyu.edu

The terms of employment are very competitive and include housing and educational subsidies for children. Applications will be accepted immediately and candidates will be considered until the position is filled.

About NYUAD:

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.

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UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply

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