Research Fellow (Soft Robotics And Pneumatic Control)

Interested applicants are invited to apply directly at the NUS Career Portal. Please note your application will only be processed if you apply via NUS Career Portal. NUS Career Portal link: https://careers.nus.edu.sg/job/Research-Fellow-%28Soft-Robotics-and-Pneumatic-Control%29/33799-en_GB/ We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Job Description We are seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to join our research programme in soft robotics and pneumatic control engineering. The successful candidate will contribute to the design, mathematical modeling, fabrication, and control of origami-inspired soft actuators, pneumatic comparators, and electronics-free fluidic logic systems. The Research Fellow will work closely with the Principal Investigator to advance scientific understanding of single-channel input programmability of soft crawling robot platforms, motion control (such as open-loop trajectory drift correction), and their potential applications in automation and robotics. Key responsibilities include: • Design and development of origami-inspired soft actuators and pneumatic control systems using computer-aided design software such as SolidWorks. • Mathematical modeling and simulation analysis of pneumatic actuator components (including formula derivation and parameter optimization). • Conducting experiments to characterize the kinematics, propulsion efficiency, trajectory control, and overall system performance of soft crawling robots. • Development and optimization of control strategies for electronics-free fluidic logic and pneumatic comparators. • Data analysis, scientific documentation, preparation of high-quality academic manuscripts and reports, as well as handling journal peer-review comments and revisions. • Supervision or co-supervision of undergraduate or graduate student researchers involved in related projects. • Contribution to lab management, equipment maintenance, and development of new experimental and testing capabilities. Qualifications • A PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Automation Control, or a closely related field. • Strong research background in soft robotics, pneumatic control engineering, fluidic logic systems, or related areas. • Hands-on experience with origami-inspired structure design, pneumatic comparator development, and computer-aided 3D design (e.g., SolidWorks) is highly preferred. • Experience in rigorous mathematical modeling, quantitative data analysis, system simulation, and addressing complex system deviations (such as trajectory drift). • A strong publication record demonstrating expertise in relevant research domains. • Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team. • Good communication skills, ability to prepare high-quality scientific manuscripts, and proficiency in navigating the academic journal peer-review process. • Open to a full-time fixed-term appointment.