Postdoctoral position in embodied AI: robots that learn, adapt and collaborate

About the role

Idiap Research Institute is offering a two‑year postdoctoral position starting January 2027 to investigate embodied AI for robots that can learn, adapt and collaborate in clinical‑diagnostics and pharmaceutical quality‑control laboratories.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and integrate robotic capabilities for adaptable manipulation, multimodal perception and human‑aware navigation.
• Design and conduct reproducible technical and human‑centred evaluations in laboratory pilot sites.
• Publish research findings, contribute to project demonstrations, and produce documented software and reports.

Required profile

• PhD in Robotics, AI, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Human‑Robot Interaction or a closely related field.
• Hands‑on experience with physical robots and autonomous robotics research.
• Ability to work independently and within an interdisciplinary, international team.

Required skills

• Strong Python programming skills.
• Experience with ROS 2 and integration of robotic subsystems.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and conditions in a young, multicultural research environment.
• Direct collaboration with industrial partners and access to real laboratory workflows.
• Opportunity to shape cutting‑edge research at the intersection of physical intelligence, HRI and neuro‑symbolic control.