Postdoctoral Research Associate/Senior Research Associate in Advanced Verification for Autonomous D

The Computer Science Department at the University of Bristol invites applications for a Research Associate or Senior Research Associate position working across two leading-edge research projects to advance verification techniques for autonomous driving.

Research is focused on developing methodologies and novel simulation-based verification techniques for autonomous road vehicles as part of the verification and validation research within the Innovate UK projects CAPRI and ROBOPILOT. The CAPRI project aims to deliver a connected and autonomous POD service and the ROBOPILOT project is focused on a range of driving functions at different autonomy levels, specifically for electric freight vehicles. Both projects include safety and security verification and validation, leading to the development of new verification and validation techniques and tools for this growing sector.

You will conduct in-depth research into simulation-based safety verification and validation techniques of autonomous road vehicles in collaboration with industrial and academic project partners, focusing on a variety of use case scenarios and real-world accident data. In particular, your research will be centred on investigating, developing and evaluating new test generation techniques, including model-based testing and agent-based methods, to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of simulation-based verification.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to gain first-hand insights into the development of autonomous road vehicles and to contribute novel techniques towards their verification. Depending on your experience, the role offers considerable intellectual freedom and opportunities for you to take significant initiative, leadership and responsibility towards realizing our research objectives.

You hold a good first degree, (e.g. BSc/BEng), or a good post-graduate degree (e.g. MSc/MEng), or a PhD (or are working towards a PhD) in Computer Science or Robotics, or in a closely related field.

You must have well-developed research skills, excellent programming skills and be able to quickly integrate software for simulation and test runs. You are competent to undertake hands-on work related to verification. It would be an advantage to have a strong background in at least one of the following areas: robotics/autonomous car simulation, e.g. with MORSE or CARLA, formal methods, including formal modelling, formal specification and verification, e.g. with UPPAAL, model-based design or testing techniques, multi-agent systems, BDI and agent programming.

This post is offered as open-ended contract with funding available up to March 2020.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held within two weeks of this advert closing and please be advised that the closing date for his advert may be extended.

For further information and to discuss details please contact the Principal Investigator, Prof. Kerstin Eder, on 0044 117 9545146 or by email Kerstin.Eder@bristol.ac.uk

We appreciate and value difference, seeking to attract, develop and retain a diverse mix of talented people that will contribute to the overall success of Bristol and help maintain our position as one of the world's leading universities.