King's College London

About us

King’s College London is one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities, with a strong commitment to excellence in science, engineering, and healthcare innovation. This role is based in the Department of Informatics within the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (NMES), an internationally recognised centre for research in robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-centred computing.

You will join the Vision & Human-Robot Interaction (VHR) Lab, a multidisciplinary research group working at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and human movement science. The lab’s research focuses on developing intelligent, user-adaptive robotic systems that can operate robustly in real-world and clinical environments, with particular emphasis on wearable and assistive technologies.

About the role

This Postdoctoral Research Associate position will contribute to a research programme focused on the development of adaptive control systems for wearable and human-interactive robotic devices. The role supports the design, evaluation, and deployment of learning-based controllers that enable intelligent, user-adaptive behaviour in real-world settings.

The post holder will lead research activities centred on reinforcement learning, optimal control, and simulation-based policy development, using robotic and biomechanical simulation environments to design and evaluate control strategies. A key aspect of the role is supporting the transfer of these controllers from simulation to physical systems, working closely with technical staff and collaborators to ensure robust real-time performance on hardware platforms. 

The PDRA will contribute to the development of benchmark environments, datasets, and reproducible research tools, supporting open and transparent research practices. They will be expected to conduct rigorous experimental evaluation, analyse results, and disseminate findings through high-quality journal and conference publications.

The role involves close collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of researchers and engagement with academic and technical partners, as well as contributing to the wider research activities of the lab. 

This is a full time (35 hours per week) post, offered on a fixed term contract for 1 year with an end date no later than 31st December 2028 when the project concludes. 

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro rata) for professional development, in line with the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1.      PhD qualified in relevant subject area (thesis clause can be added if relevant)

2.      Experience working with simulation environments for robotics or biomechanical systems

3.      Demonstrated experience in reinforcement learning, optimal control, or related machine learning methods.

4.      A track record of contributing to high-quality research outputs

5.      Ability to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary research teams and manage own workload to meet deadlines

Desirable criteria

1.      Relevant vocational qualification or degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience).

2.      Experience in handling and maintaining laboratory or technical equipment.

3.      Basic proficiency in programming or scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or similar) for data processing or device control.

4.      Ability to set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot sensor systems (e.g., IMUs, motion capture, EMG, or similar).

5.      Good organizational skills, including maintaining records, managing shared equipment, and supporting lab users.

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further Information

At King’s, we believe that the diversity of our community and a culture that is welcoming, open, inclusive and collaborative, are great strengths of the university.

The Equality Act of 2010 protects the rights of our students and staff and provides a framework to fulfil our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and in addition, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. At times, this will include balancing rights and beliefs that can feel in tension.

We are committed to free speech and to academic freedom, believing that our foundational purpose as a university, is to create spaces where a wide range of ideas, including ideas that are controversial, can be discussed and debated, and where members of our community can express lawful views without fear of intimidation, harassment or discrimination.

When engaging in the robust exchange of ideas, we ask that our community is mindful of our Dignity at King’s guidance.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

We reserve the right to close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. While the closing date may change, all adverts will close at 23:59 to allow sufficient time for applications to be submitted on that day.

We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘ How we Recruit’ pages.

Interviews are due to be held between the week of the 16th of February.