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Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Robotics and Navigation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge National Laboratory in United States

Degree Level

Postdoc

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

Postdoctoral appointment up to 24 months with potential extension, subject to performance and availability of funding. ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits; no stipend amount is stated.

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Country

United States

University

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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Keywords

Computer Science
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Information Technology
Aerospace Engineering
Navigation
Sensor Fusion
Robotics

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About this position

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Robotics and Navigation for an on-site research role in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States.

The position focuses on developing an autonomous underground exploration and mapping robotic platform. Research topics include robotics, ROS 2, SLAM, autonomous navigation, trajectory planning, sensor fusion, LiDAR, point cloud mapping, and deployment on physical mobile robots in GPS-denied, low-light, and geometrically repetitive environments.

The successful candidate will integrate heterogeneous sensors and onboard computing hardware, build ROS 2 software architecture, develop LiDAR/IMU/camera/wheel-odometry localization methods, implement mapping and loop-closure workflows, and conduct experiments on real robotic systems. The role also involves collaboration with multidisciplinary researchers in robotics, surveying, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence.

Eligibility highlights: applicants must hold a Ph.D. in robotics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field, earned within the last five years. Required experience includes ROS 2, mobile robot integration, algorithm development for SLAM or navigation, physical robot deployment, and proficiency in Python, modern C++, and Linux.

Preferred experience includes Open3D or similar point cloud tools, LiDAR-inertial SLAM, ROS 2 navigation stack, TF2, rosbag, CUDA, Jetson platforms, sensor calibration and synchronization, underground or unstructured-environment robotics, Docker, and a strong publication record.

Funding and appointment: this is a postdoctoral appointment for up to 24 months with possible extension, depending on performance and funding availability. ORNL states that it offers competitive pay and benefits, but no stipend amount is listed.

Application: apply via the ORNL jobs portal. The posting requests two letters of recommendation and notes that the position will remain open for a minimum of five days and then close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

Funding details

Postdoctoral appointment up to 24 months with potential extension, subject to performance and availability of funding. ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits; no stipend amount is stated.

What's required

Ph.D. in robotics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field obtained within the last five years. Applicants should have demonstrated experience with ROS 2, hands-on integration of sensors/actuators/computing hardware/communications on a mobile robotic platform, research or development experience in automated controls, SLAM, autonomous navigation, or trajectory planning, experience deploying and evaluating algorithms on physical robots, and proficiency in Python, modern C++, and Linux-based development environments. Preferred experience includes point cloud processing and registration, LiDAR-based or LiDAR-inertial SLAM, ROS 2 navigation stack, TF2, rosbag, CUDA/NVIDIA edge GPUs, sensor calibration/synchronization, underground or unstructured-environment robotics, Docker, and a strong publication record.

How to apply

Apply through the ORNL jobs portal using the posted position page. Submit the required application materials and include two letters of recommendation, either uploaded directly or sent to [email protected] with the position title and number in the subject line. If you have trouble applying, email [email protected].

More information can be found here

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