Research Associate in Robotics

Contact details: Dr Emmanouil Spyrakos, emmanouil.spyrakos@kcl.ac.uk

About us

The Department of Engineering at King’s College London is internationally recognised for research in robotics, mechanism design, and intelligent systems. The successful candidate will join a growing research group focused on metamorphic robotics and morphology-driven design, working at the intersection of robotics, mechanical systems, and control. The position is part of the EPSRC-funded RROBOMORPHOSIS project, which aims to develop next-generation reconfigurable robotic systems capable of adapting their structure and functionality across diverse tasks and environments in real-time.

About the role

This position is part of the EPSRC-funded RROBOMORPHOSIS project, which aims to develop next-generation metamorphic robotic systems capable of real-time structural reconfiguration and morphology-driven adaptation. The successful candidate will contribute to the design, modelling, and experimental validation of robotic mechanisms that can alter their topology and kinematic structure to operate across multiple modes of locomotion and interaction.

The role sits at the intersection of robotics, mechanism design, and control, with a strong emphasis on integrating physical system design with control and sensing. The PDRA will be responsible for developing and evaluating novel reconfigurable robotic platforms, including the implementation of control strategies for multi-modal operation and the validation of system performance through experimental testing.

The PDRA will work closely with the Principal Investigator and other members of the research group, contributing to the delivery of project objectives and the development of research outputs. This includes publishing in leading robotics venues, supporting the supervision of students, and engaging with collaborators where appropriate.

The role offers the opportunity to contribute to foundational advances in metamorphic robotics, while also supporting the development of demonstrators that highlight the potential of structurally adaptive robotic systems across a range of applications.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 36 months.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD (or near completion) in Robotics, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Automation, Control, Computer Science, or a related discipline
2. Experience in modelling and analysis of kinematic and/or dynamic systems
3. Experience in experimental robotics, including hardware development and testing
4. Experience in control of robotic systems (e.g. model-based, model-free or learning-based approaches)
5. Evidence of high-quality research outputs in top robotics journals and conferences
6. Ability to work independently and contribute to collaborative research projects
7. Strong programming skills in relevant languages (e.g. C++, Python, MATLAB), with experience in robotic software frameworks (e.g. ROS)
8. Strong written and verbal communication skills

Desirable criteria

1. Experience with reconfigurable or metamorphic robotic systems
2. Experience with compliant mechanisms or soft robotics
3. Experience with human–robot interaction or assistive robotics

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis & are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate & the salary will increase to Grade 6.

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