Research Assistant/Associate in Marine Robotics and Automation

About us

UCL Mechanical Engineering is a leading department committed to advancing engineering excellence for a sustainable future. We are home to a vibrant community of academics, researchers, and students driving innovation across marine, energy, robotics, and materials engineering. With world-class facilities and strong industrial partnerships, we tackle real-world challenges through high-impact, interdisciplinary research. Our department remains at the forefront of engineering innovation, delivering sustainable solutions with global impact.

As a large, multi-specialisation department, we thrive on the diversity of our research groups. Among them, the Marine Autonomy and Robotics Group is internationally recognised for its pioneering work in marine autonomy, sustainable vessel design, maritime decarbonisation, and advanced propulsion systems. The group plays a key role in shaping the future of marine digitalisation, intelligent maritime systems, and clean shipping technologies.

About the role

This position is part of an exciting initiative to decarbonise and automate port operations, specifically focusing on the electrification, automation, and predictive maintenance of tugboats. The successful candidate will contribute to feasibility studies on hybrid propulsion systems, the development of robust control architectures for autonomous docking, and predictive maintenance strategies using real-time operational data and machine learning.

You will be based at UCL mechanical Engineering, and collaborate with industry and port partners on system design, prototyping, and lab-based trials. Key responsibilities include simulation and control implementation, data analysis, and knowledge dissemination through technical documentation and stakeholder workshops.

This is a full-time, fixed-term role starting 1 September 2025 for 7 months, with the possibility of renewal.

UCL Grade 6: Research Assistant - Spine Point 28 / UCL Grade 7: Research Associate - Spine Point 35 - (Depending on Qualification)

If you wish to discuss the post informally, please contact Dr Yuanchang Liu ()

About you

The ideal candidate will hold a PhD (or be close to completion) in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Marine Engineering, or a related discipline. You will have strong experience in one or more of the following areas: electrified powertrains, marine robotics systems, automation, or predictive maintenance using data analytics or machine learning.

Excellent programming skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python, or ROS), a strong publication record, and an ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary environments are essential. Prior experience with maritime systems, radar/sensor fusion, or industry engagement is desirable.

What we offer

For information about our rewards and benefits please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people and LGBTQI+ people.

Customer advert reference: B04-06358

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