Postdoctoral Research Associate

Working at Durham University  

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.  

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential. 

Our Purpose and Values

We want our university to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page

The Role and Department

Durham University Space Research Centre (SPARC)

Durham University has established its new Durham Space Research Centre (SPARC), a £5 million hub of excellence for interdisciplinary space research, training and industrial engagement supported by Durham’s Strategic Research Fund (SRF). SPARC addresses cross-disciplinary space-related challenges to promote the responsible and sustainable use of space. The successful candidate will be a part of SPARC, collaborating with SPARC researchers and participating in relevant activities. For more information, visit https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/space-research-centre/

The Department of Computer Science

You will be hosted at the Department of Computer Science at Durham University. The Department hosts well-equipped labs with on-site capabilities comprising vehicle-mounted sensors (LiDAR, radar, camera, GPS/IMU), drone operations, on/off-road robotics, high-precision geo-localisation, BCI/EEG bio-signal data collection, robotic arm manipulation, X-ray security imaging, virtual reality and on-demand wide-area surveillance video feeds.

In addition, Durham University hosts the UK regional supercomputer, Bede (128 NVIDIA V100 GPUs) which complements our departmental NVIDIA CUDA Compute Cluster (80+ GPUs up to NVIDIA A100) to cater for the increasing GPU compute demands of modern AI-driven research projects.

The Department itself is based in the newly built Mathematical and Computer Sciences building - a £42 million, 9,160m² state of the art research and education facility, located on the University's Upper Mountjoy Campus co-located with the Department of Mathematics.

The Role

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to support SPARC activities in robotics and AI research topics.

This post is fixed term for 24 months. Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by September 2026.

The successful candidate will be managed by Dr Nikos Mavrakis and Prof. Hubert Shum (Computer Science Department) and expected to collaborate with Prof. Atanu Chaudhuri (Business School), as well as other members of SPARC.

After their end of mission operations, satellites are decommissioned either by deorbiting or by moving to a high-altitude orbit. Even in an inactive state, satellites contain valuable materials and components that could be reused as a resource for future missions. To optimise this recycling process, an optimal circular pathway for the parts and sub-parts in the satellites need to be developed, considering the condition of the materials, the costs of processing and the environmental impact. The recent breakthroughs in AI, machine vision and robotics provide the technological foundation for the concept of satellite recycling. Visual inputs enable effective identification of components and their conditions, while multi-sensory data supports the determination of material types, with AI underpinning the overall decision-making process. Handling of the identified components is performed through robotic manipulation planning, executing the recycling process.

 The overarching aim of the project is to determine the optimal circular pathway for satellite parts using AI and supply chain modelling and develop the robotic manipulation capabilities for disassembling the identified sub-assemblies or parts.

Key responsibilities:

The successful candidate will work on the intersection between robotics and AI. The project will focus on developing the robotic manipulation, perception, and AI methodologies for sensing and decision making in space. Some relevant project activities include:

• Developing AI, perception, and computer vision algorithms for target detection and state estimation in space.

• Developing robotic motion planning methods for task-informed target manipulations.

• Integrating robotic systems for assembly of robotic testbeds.

• Evaluating the developed algorithms on real hardware and robotic testbeds.

The candidate will also be expected to engage with the Business Department, to explore research pathways and collaborations on circular economy and supply chains in space.

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.   

This post is fixed term from June 2026 to May 2028; the funding is available from June 2026 for this fixed period only; the project is time limited and will end on May 2028.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by September 2026.

Working at Durham 

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:

• You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year. 
• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered.  We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
• We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University.  All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
• Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.

The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role. 

Contact Information 

Department contact for academic-related enquiries 

Dr Nikos Mavrakis Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science nikolaos.mavrakis@durham.ac.uk 

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application 

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email.  Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk 

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).  

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process 

How to Apply  

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.  

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.  

Submitting your application 

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit 

All applicants are asked to submit: 

·         CV

·         1 page cover letter (references can be put on an additional page) describing how your skills are a good match for the research topic.

·         Details of three referees. One referee should be your most recent employer/supervisor/line manager.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

1.    A PhD degree (or close to PhD completion) in Robotics, Computer Science, Space Technology, or related subject, or strong alternative postgraduate qualifications

Experience

2.    Experience in conducting high quality academic research.

3.    Experience in formal academic and report writing of a quality commensurate with higher education qualifications

4.    Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national/international conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community. Experience in producing research publications in journals and conferences.

5.    Experience in one or more research areas relevant to the project, as pointed out in Role Description.

Skills

6.    Excellent written and spoken English

7.    Effective interpersonal and communication skills

8.    Appropriate mathematical and computational skills to be able to undertake the technical development laid out in the project description

9.    Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team

10.  Self-motivation and ability to work autonomously and to schedule on agreed tasks

11.  Presentation and communication skills to a wide target audience

Desirable Criteria

Experience

12.  Experience in one or more elements of robotic manipulation (e.g. planning, control, grasping)

13.  Experience in elements of AI-based robotic vision (e.g. learning-based segmentation, pose estimation)

14.  Experience with robotic simulation (E.g. Gazebo, CoppeliaSim, MuJoCo, IsaacSim)

15.  Experience in working with real robots and sensors

16.  Experience in robotics for space applications

17.  Experience in space engineering

18.  Experience in business modelling and circular economy

Skills

19.  Ability to propose and discuss novel research ideas for solving a problem

20.  Ability to attract collaboration and opportunities for the project

21.  Ability to plan and manage independent research