Fully Funded PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering: Human–Robot Collaboration, Crane Load Placement, AI, and Robotics at Monash University Monash University in Australia

Monash University is recruiting up to 2 fully funded PhD candidates in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The projects are ARC-funded and focus on human–robot collaboration, construction automation, computer vision, multimodal perception, large language models, and AI-based reasoning for safe and efficient crane load placement and complex construction environments.

The supervisor is Dr Yihai Fang, Senior Lecturer and Director of the ICON Research Lab at Monash University. His research interests include digitalisation in civil engineering, intelligent and automated construction, human–robot collaboration, and construction safety. The post is suitable for applicants with backgrounds in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related fields.

Funding is strong: the scholarship includes an AUD $37,145/year tax-free stipend, a full tuition fee waiver, and possible Teaching Associate opportunities for additional income. This is a good fit for candidates interested in robotics, BIM, digital twins, AI, and construction engineering.

Eligibility highlights include a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or expected completion) from a recognised institution, a strong academic record, preferred programming skills, and advantageous experience in BIM, digital twins, computer vision, robotics, or LLMs. Applicants must also meet Monash PhD English language requirements, with IELTS 6.5 overall and no band below 6.0 given as an example.

Application is by email: send your CV and academic transcripts to [email protected]. The post lists an email expression of interest deadline of 10 July 2026 and a formal application deadline of 31 July 2026.