项目介绍

2025年4月11日

SDU Mechatronics and the Centre of Industrial Mechanics, part of Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark in Sønderborg, invites applications for one or more PhD scholarships on mechatronic design and control of drones. The starting date is September 2025 or as soon as possible.

Workplace description

Institute of Mechanical and Electrical engineering covers research and education spanning from fundamentals to applications of engineering science. All our courses are taught in English reflecting the fact that more than half our students and staff are internationals. Centre for Industrial Mechanics is located at SDU’s beautiful campus in Sønderborg, in the inspiring building of Alsion, which is a center for science, culture and learning in the heart of Sønderborg and perched on the strait of water separating the island of Als from the mainland. The university has very close relations to the industry in Sønderborg, Southern Denmark and Northern Germany. A significant fraction of the projects in the center are conducted in close cooperation with the industry, which count world leading companies in growing fields such as e-mobility, automation, climate solutions and energy efficiency.

At SDU Mechatronics, research, education, and innovation are performed in teams of scientists and support staff with competences spanning a wide range of fields including applied cyber-physical systems, advanced mechanical systems, modelling and mechatronic prototyping.

Your profile

To complement our team, we are looking for one or more PhD researchers in the Drone Mechatronics research group with expertise in mechatronic design of drones. Experience in three or more of the following fields is required:

• Advanced mechanical design and rapid prototyping,
• Mechatronic design and implementation of drones (ground, aerial or underwater),
• Advanced control engineering,
• Guidance, Navigation and Control of autonomous vehicles,
• PCB design and fabrication.

The ideal candidates have extensive experience with:

• Programming of IO boards (STM32, Pixhawk, BeagleBone, etc.) in different programming languages (C++, Python, etc.),
• MATLAB/Simulink programming
• Creating their own mechanical designs, implement and test them accordingly,
• Implementation of control algorithms on physical experiments.

In addition, the candidates are expected to contribute with mechatronic-related teaching activities as well as to participate in externally funded research projects within the field of drone mechatronics.

The candidates must have:

• MSc in a relevant discipline (Mechatronic, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or any other relevant Engineering discipline),
• Strong record in practical experience in the development and implementation of mechatronic devices,
• Very good communication skills in English.

It is a condition of employment that you can obtain security clearance, and that the security clearance can be maintained during your employment. https://pet.dk/en/security-advisory-services/how-to-obtain-a-security-clearance

Contact information

For further information, please visit https://www.sdu.dk/en/ime and https://www.sdu.dk/mechatronics and contact Associate Professor Lars Duggen, Head of Centre for Industrial Mechanics, tel. +45 6550 1640, e-mail: duggen@sdu.dk or Professor Jerome Jouffroy, head of the Drone Mechatronics, tel. +45 2750 1476, email: jerome@sdu.dk.

If you experience technical problems, please contact hcm-support@sdu.dk. 

Application procedure

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

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

• Motivated application. 
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Master’s and bachelor’s degree certificates or equivalent, including transcripts of grades (copy of original/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.

UPLOAD GUIDE: Motivated application shall be uploaded as ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded as ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents shall be uploaded as ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files of max 50 MB per file). 

All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration no.) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.

The application deadline is May 31, 2025, at 11.59 PM / 23.59 (CET/CEST) 

Assessment and selection process

Applications will be assessed by an 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.  

Conditions of enrollment/employment

Appointment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position, and the monthly gross salary incl. pension is 36.138DKR. 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), and 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 with the associated circular on the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for PhD fellows as described herein as well as the Protocol on PhD fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). Further information about salary and conditions of employment. The person employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial evaluation, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

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The University of Southern Denmark wishes our 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, are subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position.

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.

About Us

The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.