Research Fellow in Control of Surgical Robots

Do you want to make a difference in patients’ quality of life by creating innovative robots that are able to treat incurable diseases? Are you excited about contributing to scientific research in surgical robotics? Are you able to think outside the box to find innovative solutions to life-threatening diseases?  Do you want to join a world-leading team of roboticists, manufacturing engineers, and clinicians?

We are looking for a proactive individual to join our Science and Technology Of Robotics in Medicine (STORM) Lab, bringing their excitement for scientific research in surgical robotics with them. 

At the STORM Lab, we strive to improve the quality of life for people undergoing soft-tissue surgery and flexible endoscopy by creating miniature and non-invasive robots. This includes the creation and investigation of miniature capsule-like or tentacle robots to work inside the human body. At the STORM Lab, we are designing and creating soft and compliant robotic devices that can be used within the human body to detect and cure diseases in a non-invasive way.

This vacancy is created by a major EPSRC grant (EP/V047914/1 “Terabotics–Terahertz Robotics for Surgery and Medicine”) awarded to the University of Leeds, which aims at exploring how Terahertz-based imaging can contribute to the automation of surgical tasks in robotic procedures for early-stage cancer detection and removal. You will join a multi-disciplinary research team aiming at integrating innovative imaging probes into cutting-edge surgical robotic and robotic endoscopy platforms, modelling their behaviour at different steps of the surgical procedure, exploring different levels of computer assistance based on multi-modal sensing, and testing them in realistic anatomical models.

The elements related to the advanced imaging probes will be conducted in collaboration with Professor John Cunningham at the University of Leeds, and Professor Emma MacPherson at the University of Warwick.

What we offer in return

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance – the University contributes 21.6% of salary.
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team, and self-development courses including languages, Creative Writing, Wellbeing Therapies and much more.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!  

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Pietro Valdastri, PhD, Chair in Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 3706 or email: P.Valdastri@leeds.ac.uk