Postdoc Bio-inspired Safe Envelope Sensing and Upset Recovery

This Postdoc project is conducted within the NWO-Vidi project "4SENCE" in which you will collaborate with an international team of researchers to develop a new control methodology that can exploit information from computed and forcasted safe sets. The goal of this project is first to compute safe envelopes for off-nominal (damaged) drones, and then apply these envelopes in an 'envelope aware' controller that can balance safety and performance based on knowledge of  the current safe envelope. The new controller will be implemented on a research drone after which it will be demonstrated under various failure scenarios.

Need-to-haves

Excellent knowledge of the following fields:

• Nonlinear (Optimal) Control Theory, Flight Dynamics, System Identification, (Stochastic) Systems Theory, Fault Tolerant Control, Fault Detection and Diagnosis.
• In addition the candidate must have excellent programming skills in one or more of the following languages: C++, C, Python, Matlab.
• Experience with working with hardware such as drones.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with piloting drones

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

From 1 September next, a salary increase of 3.7% applies due to a Collective Agreement amendment, followed by an additional 1% increase on 1 January 2025. In addition, most employees employed on 1 September 2024 will receive a one-off payment of €300 gross based on full-time employment.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond. 

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 27 September 2024 via the application button and upload your:

• Motivation Letter
• CV
• Transcript of your PhD document

Please note:

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• Applying for an exemption for specific research and educational areas is an obligatory part of the selection procedure for this vacancy. This exemption must be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) before an employment contract is agreed upon. Click here for more information.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.