PhD position at UWF-IHMC, Human Performance and Robotics

About the Role

We invite applications for Ph.D. positions in the Department of Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISR) at the University of West Florida (UWF) in collaboration with the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). Research areas include:

• Autonomous navigation in complex and unstructured terrain
• Advanced perception and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)
• Dynamic control of bipedal and quadrupedal robots (e.g., NASA Valkyrie, DRC Atlas, MIT MiniCheetah, Boardwalk Robotics Nadia)
• Control of exoskeletons for able-bodied and paraplegic assistance
• High-speed planning through dynamic environments
• Whole-body planning and manipulation
• Design of articulated robots such as bipeds, quadrupeds, and exoskeletons

Accepted students will have access to IHMC’s research facilities, staff, and robotic platforms, including DRC-era Atlas, NASA Valkyrie, MIT MiniCheetah, Boardwalk Robotics Nadia, and various UAV systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, or a relevant discipline (Master’s degree preferred)
• Strong academic background

Skills

• Experience with Robot Operating System (ROS)
• Strong programming skills (Java, C++, Python)
• Strong analytical skills and ability to work in interdisciplinary research domains
• Experience in the following areas is a plus:
  • Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs)
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
  • Perception, localization, path/motion planning, SLAM

About the Organizations

University of West Florida (UWF): Established in 1963, UWF is a public university in the State University System of Florida. It offers over 70 undergraduate and 36 graduate/specialist degree programs. UWF is a comprehensive research university with the third-largest campus area in the State University System. www.uwf.edu

Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC): A not-for-profit research institute affiliated with the Florida University System, IHMC pioneers technologies to leverage and extend human capabilities. With over 100 researchers, IHMC emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches to building computational tools that amplify human cognitive, physical, and perceptual abilities. Research areas include artificial intelligence, humanoid robotics, exoskeletons, cognitive science, and more. IHMC collaborates with industry and government partners such as DARPA, NSF, NASA, and leading corporations. www.ihmc.us

Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISR) Ph.D. Program: The ISR program combines UWF’s engineering and computer science strengths with IHMC’s expertise to train the next generation of researchers. Students engage in hands-on, leading-edge research at the intersection of human and machine elements. www.uwf.edu/intelligent-systems-and-robotic

For questions about the research areas, contact hsevil@uwf.edu. For general inquiries, contact rgriffin@ihmc.us.