Postdoc Position in AI-improved Robotic Welding Control for Large Steel Structures

SDU Center for Large Structure Production (LSP), part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute (MMMI), at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), invites applications for a postdoc position on the topic of AI-improved robotic welding control for large steel structures. The position will be vacant from 1 January 2027 for a period of 2,5 years. The preferred start date is as early as possible in 2027 and the specific start date will be agreed with the successful applicant. Main work location will mostly be at SDU Center for Large Structure Production located at Odense Havn (Odense Port).

Work environment

The candidate will be part of SDU Center for Large Structure Production (LSP). LSP’s central ambition is to provide a physical “go-to” lab for companies in the sectors construction, maritime, and energy to carry out research, development, and testing of novel solutions in the production of large structures, such as buildings, ships and offshore platforms. In this context, the candidate is expected to work closely with our academic and industrial partners on application-oriented methods and technologies, with the support of the unique set of equipment of the center.

LSP is closely working together the companies at Odense Havn and similar partners making large structures across Denmark and Europe. LSP is integrated with the Odense Robotics Cluster involving startups and established companies in robotics. We are a team of currently about 20 researchers, engineers and PhD students, specialized in robot solutions involving modelling, simulation, and control of advanced robot technologies (systems and services) for application-oriented industrial applications.

Our group is involved in a variety of national and European projects and features a strong network of academic and industrial partners. We solve challenging research problems derived from real-life challenges by implementing novel robot solutions. We value teamwork, professional diligence, enthusiasm for robotics and the drive to adopt new skills and extended responsibilities. We offer an open, international team, with flexible work organization and support for individual development.

Job description

The overall topic of the Postdoc position is the reduction of production cost and the increase of scalability of floating wind turbine platforms intended for deployment in offshore waters deeper than 60 meters. In one example, such a platform consists of large steel structures assembled from prefabricated components. Due to their size, geometric complexity, and manufacturing tolerances, these structures pose significant challenges for conventional robotic automation. Thus, many welding operations remain manual, labour intensive, and hence costly. More cost‑effective and reliable manufacturing will improve the return on investment (RoI) on offshore wind farms and supports the accelerated global deployment of renewable wind energy.

The focus of the Postdoc position will be to investigate the automation of the welding of large steel elements to build the floating platform. The research work will address dimensional uncertainty, structural deformation, robot mobility, and limited absolute positioning accuracy.

The primary objective of this Postdoc position is to develop and validate AI‑enabled automation methods for robotic welding of large steel structures and demonstrate it on floating wind platforms. The overall work will encompass compensation of geometric deviations, AI‑based perception, single‑shot and real‑time trajectory adaptation, system integration with large‑scale robotic systems, and industrial validation under realistic conditions.

The specific objectives can be defined as: i) designing a hybrid control system architecture which takes advantage of both classical control scheme to ensure reliability and modern AI advances to handle the uncertainty, ii) investigating the availability of open data sets which are readily available for training and fine tuning of AI models and identify what further datasets are needed, iii) identifying the needed sensors, computational resources and other hardware and software components needed for the implementation of automated welding system for large structures, and iv) conducting the experimental validation of the automated welding system for large structures.

Profile and requirements

The candidate is expected to have most of the following qualifications:

PhD degree in engineering with outstanding academic track record

Documented knowledge in automation and/or logistics

Documented experience with simulation and Digital Twins

Strong programming skills (particularly in C/C++ and Python)

Strong mathematics skills and practical knowledge in 3D modelling

Ability to work independently as part of an agile team, with a strong sense of responsibility

Willingness to engage in application-oriented R&D, by closely interacting with company staff

In close teamwork with our researchers and staff from our industrial partners, the candidate will grow hands-on expertise in robotic production operations, including robots, tools, and sensors.

Contact information

For further information, please contact Associate Professor Ali Muhammad via email (almu@mmmi.sdu.dk) or on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-muhammad-b985703/).

If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support.

Application

Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply.

Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material, and the application must include:

Motivated application.

Curriculum Vitae.

Master’s and PhD degree certificates or equivalent (original and an official English translation).

Complete list of publications.

Publications most relevant to the position.

Summary and documentation of experience in teaching, if relevant to the position.

A research statement may be included.

References/reference letters may also be included.

A statement/documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position may also be included.

All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration number) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked, allow binding and may not be password protected.

SUBMISSION GUIDE: Motivated application must be uploaded under ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae must be uploaded under ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents must be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files with a maximum 50 MB per file).

The application deadline is December 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST)

Assessment and selection process

Applications will be assessed by an expert or assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied, and only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU. Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation.

Read about the Assessment and selection process.

Employment terms

Appointment as a postdoc is temporary for an initial 30-month period. Extension may be possible depending on available funding.

Employment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level at the time of employment. Employment will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state including the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for postdoc as described therein.

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements. As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process. SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary. Further information on salary and taxation.

Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

The University of Southern Denmark wishes its staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, is subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position(s).

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.