PhD Opening in Sensor-in-the-Loop Human-Robot Interaction at Vanderbilt University (Fall 2026) Vanderbilt University in United States

The SYMBIO-X Lab at Vanderbilt University, led by Assistant Professor Yayun Du, is recruiting one PhD student for Fall 2026 (with the option to start in Summer 2026). The research focuses on sensor-in-the-loop human-robot interaction, integrating multimodal physiological sensing with robotic control and reinforcement learning to enable safe and efficient human-in-the-loop autonomy. The lab welcomes applicants from Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering/Robotics, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering, especially those with strong quantitative skills. Preferred experience includes ROS2, hands-on work with robotic arms (Franka, UR, xArm), and expertise in controls, reinforcement learning, or machine learning (PyTorch). Interested candidates should email Yayun Du with a CV, a short paragraph on research interests, and optionally links to GitHub or published papers. Funding details are not specified, but PhD positions at Vanderbilt typically include tuition coverage and a stipend. The application deadline is December 28, 2026. This is an excellent opportunity for students interested in cutting-edge robotics and human-robot interaction research at a leading US institution.