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The SDU UAS Center, part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, invites applications for one or more PhD positions on autonomous flight in confined and cluttered environments for multi-rotor drones. The positions are for a three-year employment with a flexible start date.

What We Offer
The successful candidates will become part of the SDU UAS Center, where we conduct cutting-edge research in civilian drone technologies and future drone applications in critical sectors, such as agriculture, inspection, energy, and healthcare. At the heart of our mission is the creation of groundbreaking drone solutions that address key societal challenges. We are committed to fostering a dynamic and inspiring work environment where creativity flourishes. We often collaborate closely with world-leading companies, some of which are part of the vibrant robotic startup community around Odense.

The positions are tied to the development of an Automated Service Inspection (ASI) system for wind turbines, carried out in close collaboration with Vestas. Wind energy is a cornerstone of the green transition, yet the industry depends heavily on manual inspections and a shrinking pool of service technicians. Autonomous drones that can fly safely inside and around turbine structures are a key enabler for scalable, data-driven maintenance, promising less downtime, improved safety, and higher energy production across a growing global fleet.

Work Area
The successful candidates will conduct research and development within autonomous flight in confined spaces, where safety and robustness under real-world conditions are paramount. Flying close to and inside turbine structures, such as the tower interior, raises fundamental research challenges: navigation without reliable GNSS, perception in geometrically complex environments, and safe motion planning within centimetres of critical infrastructure. Concretely, the work will include the following:

• State estimation and localisation in GNSS-denied, confined environments (visual-inertial odometry (VIO), simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), sensor fusion).
• Real-time perception.
• Motion planning and control for safe, agile flight in close proximity to obstacles and infrastructure.
• Prototyping of drones and payloads tailored to confined-space inspection, from concept and mechanical/electronics integration to flight-ready platforms.
• Integration of autonomy with onboard inspection payloads (cameras, microphones) and existing turbine data.
• Operation and flight testing of multi-rotor UAS, including experiments at turbine sites.

During the PhD studies, the successful candidates will also have the opportunity to work on related autonomy challenges across the center's project portfolio, where autonomous flight under demanding real-world conditions is a recurring theme.

The positions may involve co-supervising related student projects. The candidates will be part of the SDU UAS Center and are expected to participate in the center's project portfolio and outreach activities.

We Expect
We expect that you hold an MSc, or expect to complete one before the start date, in engineering, robotics, or computer science, or another related field. You do not need to cover every area below, but you should have experience with, and a genuine interest in, some of the following:

• Research and development within autonomous navigation, state estimation, or motion planning for robots or UAS.
• Research and development within UAS platforms, subsystems, and payloads.
• Prototyping of drones and payloads (mechanical design, electronics, systems integration).
• Perception and machine learning for robotics.
• Software design and development (C, C++, Python), including real-time and embedded systems.
• UAS operations (experiments, piloting).

We furthermore expect that you publish findings at recognised international conferences and in top-ranked, peer-reviewed journals.

For certain projects and tasks at the Drone Labs at HCA Airport, a security check by relevant authorities and a driving license are required.

For further information, please contact Prof. Anders Lyhne Christensen ([email protected]) and Associate Prof. Robert Ladig ([email protected]).

We look forward to receiving your application.

Application

Before applying the candidates are advised to read the Faculty information for prospective PhD students and the SDU information on how to apply.

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

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

• Motivated application. 
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Master’s and Bachelor’s degree certificates or equivalent, including transcripts of grades (original and an official English translation). 
• Completed TEK PhD application form for 5+3 applicants. Find the form at the Faculty website.
• Completed TEK PhD form for calculation grade point average. Find the form at the Faculty website. 
• An official document describing the grading scheme of the awarding universities (if not Danish). 
• Only for applicants from programmes that evaluate thesis/examination project by approved/not approved: An official written assessment of the thesis or dissertation project from the grade giving institution. The statement must clearly state that the candidate has been among the top 30 pct. in the graduation class for the study programme.
• List of publications and maximum 2 examples of relevant publications (in case you have any publications).
• References may be included, you're welcome to use the form for reference letter at the Faculty website.
• 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 October 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST) 

Assessment and selection process

Applications will be assessed by an expert. 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.  

Enrollment and employment terms

Appointment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position, and the monthly gross salary incl. pension is 37.075 DKK. If you have relevant postgraduate experience, you may be placed on a higher salary step.

Applicants must hold a master’s degree (equivalent to a Danish master's degree) at the time of enrollment and employment. Employment is contingent on enrollment approved by the PhD School. Enrollment will be in accordance with Faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order). 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 job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for PhD fellows as described therein as well as the Protocol on PhD fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). 

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”.

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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.