Research Assistant in Robotic Integration

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here .

The Role and Department

The BioDiMoBot project will deliver a system for autonomous, long-term robotic assessments of aquatic biodiversity and ecology . This project will develop an innovative measurement system to monitor biodiversity and provide insight into the drivers of ecosystem degradation. Additionally, it will assess organismic and environmental stress levels by using novel biohybrid sensors. With the BioDiMoBots' ability to perform autonomous and automated multimodal long-term data collection, the project will create a user-friendly robotic tool that provides detailed insights into the ecological health of aquatic environments. The project will be driven by the needs of potential stakeholders such as researchers, small and medium-sized enterprises in water-related industries and policy-makers. Field operations will demonstrate the transformative power of the BioDiMoBot systems by monitoring aquatic ecosystems over a long period of time.

This position will ideally suit applicants with an interest in the real-world deployment of robots and the execution of long-term experimental scenarios and demonstrations. The successful applicant will coordinate the integration of robots into real-world scenarios, as well as the implementation and testing of robotic systems and their associated frameworks. Therefore, this role requires a person with a strong engineering background in industry , particularly in underwater monitoring. Applicants must be willing to engage in experimental work in the field, which is typically conducted in lakes in remote areas of the UK and EU.

The project is a HORIZON funded collaboration between the University of Durham in the UK, the University of Graz in Austria, Universite Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Italy, SYRION in Austria, Oesterreichische Bundesforste in Austria and Carbon Kapture (Mulroy Bay) Ltd in the UK. This role will involve close collaboration with these external partners. You will be expected to frequently visit several of these institutions in the course of your work and will be based in the Department of Computer Science at Durham University.

Responsibilities:

• To understand and convey information which needs careful explanation to the team or group of people through presentations, discussions and meetings which contribute to the production of research reports and publications.
• To write up results of research work, present information on research progress and outcomes to bodies supervising research in a clear and accurate manner.
• To analyse or undertake basic research by deciding how best to apply existing methodology according to overall context and objectives.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To assist in contributing to support student projects on the use of research methods and equipment.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.
• To frequently visit our European partners and follow the standards and protocols developed by the consortium.
• To lead the real-world deployment and demonstration activities of the project in various lakes across the UK and EU.

This post is fixed term for 24 months .

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1 May 2025 .

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University, you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:

• 30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 42 days per year.
• We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
• Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
• A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here .

Durham University is committed to equality diversity, inclusion and values

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

For informal enquiries please contact Prof Farshad Arvin (farshad.arvin@durham.ac.uk). All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

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