PhD Stipend in Safe Learning-Based Control for Autonomous Robots in Dynamic Environments Aalborg University in Denmark

Aalborg University’s Department of Electronic Systems is offering a fully funded PhD stipend in Safe Learning-Based Control for Autonomous Robots in Dynamic Environments, starting March 1, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is based in Aalborg at the Automation and Control Section, within a globally recognized department known for its high academic standards and societal impact. The department hosts over 200 staff, including 90 PhD students, and is highly international, fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment.

This PhD project aims to develop next-generation learning-based decision-making and control strategies for autonomous robots operating safely in dynamic, crowded environments. The research will focus on integrating data-driven autonomy with formal safety guarantees, enabling robots to anticipate, interpret, and respond to human movement and interactions. The project moves beyond rule-based behaviors by leveraging online learning and adaptation, with the goal of improving both safety and pedestrian comfort in complex crowd scenarios.

As a PhD candidate, you will contribute to the development of theoretical, algorithmic, and real-time implementation frameworks for autonomous navigation in crowds. Your work will involve adapting to unpredictable human interactions, providing guarantees for safety, performance, and comfort, and implementing solutions in robot simulation environments such as ROS/Gazebo or Isaac Sim. Experimental validation will be conducted using highly sensorised mobile robotic platforms in laboratory settings.

The position is hosted within the Advanced Robotics & AI research group, which advances self-learning autonomous robotic systems for reliable operation in extreme environments. You will be part of strong national and international research activities, collaborating closely with public and private stakeholders and partner universities.

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Control Theory, Computer Science, or a closely related field, with a solid background in robotics, autonomous systems, and/or control theory. Required skills include programming in Python and/or C++, and experience with robotics software frameworks such as ROS/ROS 2. Excellent written and spoken English skills are essential. Additional experience with safety-critical systems, multi-agent autonomy, learning-based/data-driven/robust/adaptive control under uncertainty, strong mathematical foundations, hands-on robotics experiments, and prior publications in robotics or control venues will be considered advantageous.

The PhD stipend is for a period of 3 years, with salary and employment terms governed by the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement). The successful candidate will be enrolled at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design, and progress will be regularly assessed according to Danish ministerial regulations.

To apply, submit your application via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, including a motivation letter, CV, diplomas, master’s thesis or relevant publications, 1-2 letters of recommendation (optional), and other relevant documents. The university values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates to apply. For questions, contact Associate Professor Shahab Heshmati-Alamdari at [email protected] or Lisbeth Diinhoff at [email protected]

For more information, visit Department of Electronic Systems and application link.