PhD student (Doctoral Researcher) in Ergodic Control for Robotics FM

We are recruiting a fully funded PhD Student to join the Robot Learning & Interaction group at the Idiap Research Institute in Martigny Switzerland affiliated with the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The PhD will take place within the new collaborative project DECOR (Diffusion-based Ergodic Coverage for Robotics) supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and by the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ).

Research Topic: Ergodic control and automatic exploration/coverage for robot manipulation (including surface finishing painting spraying) or aerial robots (search & rescue).

What we offer:

• A fully funded PhD position with highly competitive salary
• Excellent work conditions in a young dynamic and multicultural environment
• Collaborative project with the University of Rijeka in Croatia
• Enrollment through EPFLs EDEE doctoral program

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with:

• A Masters degree in Robotics Computer Science Electrical Engineering AI or a related field
• Interest in optimal control model-based optimization robot learning from small datasets
• Eagerness to work with real robots and Python software components (past practical experience is a plus)

Screening of applications will start on July 15th 2026.

Idiap is a research institute of national importance that engages in fundamental research education and technology transfer in artificial intelligence. Idiap offers competitive salaries and conditions in a dynamic multicultural environment.

Idiap is located in Martigny Valais a scenic region in the south of Switzerland surrounded by the highest mountains of Europe and offering exceptional quality of life exciting recreational activities including hiking climbing and skiing as well as varied cultural activities.

At Idiap we believe that diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity to being fair and inclusive and to being a place where we all belong. If you believe that you could excel in this role but you are not sure you meet all the required criteria we very much welcome your application.

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