Postdoctoral Fellowship: Postdocs in Computer Vision and Embodied AI for Autonomous Agricultural Robotics – DTU Electro

About the Role

The Perception and Cognition for Autonomous Systems (PCAS) group at DTU Electro invites applications for two Postdoc positions in Computer Vision and Embodied AI for autonomous agricultural robotics. Our mission is to advance Physical AI by creating intelligent systems that build rich 3D representations of their surroundings to support autonomous navigation, interaction, and decision-making in complex, unstructured environments. You will contribute to the flagship projects AGROBOOST (funded by EU) and Robotic Intercropping (funded by Novo Nordisk Foundation), working at the intersection of computer vision, embodied AI, and robotics. The goal is to develop solutions that enable robots to operate safely and effectively in real-world field conditions, promoting more sustainable agriculture.

Responsibilities & Research Focus

You will be part of an interdisciplinary research team and collaborate closely with PhD students and other postdocs. Your primary tasks include:

• Conducting independent and collaborative research in 3D perception, spatial reasoning, and autonomous navigation.
• Implementing perception and navigation algorithms for real-time operation on edge computing devices aboard mobile robots.
• Publishing findings in leading international venues (e.g., CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICRA, IROS, ICLR).
• Mentoring and co-supervising PhD, MSc, and BSc students.
• Participating in “Living Lab” field experiments to validate robotic solutions under real agricultural conditions.

We seek candidates who can contribute to one or two of the following research areas (you are not expected to cover all):

• Multi-Modal Sensor Fusion & 3D Scene Understanding: Integrating RGB, LiDAR, stereo, and multi-spectral data for precise semantic and instance-level perception in agricultural scenes.
• Modular Autonomy Architectures & Trajectory Optimization: Developing modular software pipelines for localization and control, and investigating end-to-end learning for control.
• Foundation Models (VLMs, VLAs, & WAMs): Applying Vision-Language Models for semantic reasoning and Vision-Language-Action or World Action Models to represent 3D environments and plant growth for predictive planning.
• Robust Perception in the Wild: Developing algorithms that model complex canopies and recognise unusual situations to ensure adaptability to changing weather and environmental conditions.

Requirements

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) in computer science, electrical engineering, robotics, or a closely related field. Selection criteria include:

• A strong background in computer vision and machine learning with a proven publication record in top-tier venues.
• Expertise in at least one or two of the core research areas listed above (e.g., 3D point cloud processing, multi-modal data fusion, or embodied AI).
• Proven software skills in Python and/or C++, and experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch.
• Experience with development tools including Linux, Git, and Docker.
• Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and lead collaborative research efforts.

What We Offer

DTU is a leading technical university recognised globally for research, education, innovation, and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment, characterised by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered with responsibility. The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, with allowance agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 2 years, starting 1 November 2026 or according to mutual agreement. Further information can be obtained from Professor Lazaros Nalpantidis (phone: +45 5162 1776, email: [email protected]). For information about working in Denmark and at DTU, see DTU – Moving to Denmark.

How to Apply

Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 September 2026 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file (in English) containing all materials. To apply, open the “Apply now” link, fill out the online application form, and attach your PDF with the following:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates.

Original vacancy