American University of Beirut

Interested candidates should send the following to Dr Bilal Kaddouh (bk49@aub.edu.lb), Dr Hussein Hussein (hh224@aub.edu.lb), and Dr Rafael Papallas (rp00@aubmed.ac.cy), using the subject line: “ARIVE Postdoctoral Application – [Your Name]".

• A cover letter of no more than two pages describing the candidate's relevant background, main area(s) of expertise, motivation for the role, and their contribution to one or two relevant robotics projects.

• A full academic CV, including a list of publications, the institution and country for each university degree held (used to confirm program eligibility), and, where available, links to relevant software, videos, repositories, or project demonstrations.

• Contact details for two referees. Two recommendation letters are required at the appointment stage for the successful candidate.

• Optional: a one-page outline of research interests and how they would fit within ARIVE. A research proposal is required at the appointment stage, so providing an outline at this point may accelerate the process.
  
  

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview, which may include a technical discussion of the candidate's prior projects. A second interview or a short technical exercise may follow where needed. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and early applications are encouraged.

The American University of Beirut is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.​

​Research Assistant Position - Autonomous Robotic Inspection and Validation for Construction Environments (ARIVE)​

Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA)
American University of Beirut

Overview

The research assistant will contribute to the development and integration of the ARIVE robotic inspection system in collaboration with the project investigators, PhD students, and other researchers. The main emphasis will be on robotics software and experimental implementation. The exact balance among localization and mapping, navigation, perception, sensor integration, inspection analysis, and digital-twin interfaces may be adapted to the successful candidate's background. The candidate is not expected to be an expert in every technical area listed in this advertisement, but should have a strong foundation in robotics and demonstrated experience in at least one relevant specialization.

Qualifications

• Academic qualification: A Bachelor's degree (BE/BS) in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil or Construction Engineering with a robotics component, or a closely related field. A Master's degree, or a Master's thesis in progress, in a relevant area is an advantage. The degree should be awarded by the start date.
• Robotics background: A solid academic, project, or development background in robotics, autonomous systems, computer vision, intelligent systems, or a closely related area, demonstrated through coursework, a thesis, capstone or final-year projects, internships, competitions, or work experience.
• ROS experience: Practical experience with ROS 1 and/or ROS 2, including the ability to develop and debug packages.
• Programming: Good proficiency in C++ or Python for robotics or scientific software development. Familiarity with the other language is beneficial.
• Experimental experience: Hands-on experience testing algorithms or software using physical robots, real sensors, or representative experimental datasets. Field-deployment experience is a plus.
  
• Research and communication: The ability to document technical work clearly and collaborate in a multidisciplinary team. Prior research experience or publications are a plus but are not required.
  
  

Main Duties

• Robotics software development and integration: Develop, adapt, and integrate ROS-based software components for robotic inspection and autonomous data collection.
• Autonomous operation: Contribute to localization, mapping, navigation, mission planning, perception, or robot control according to the candidate's expertise and the needs of the project.
• Sensor and platform integration: Su​pport the integration and testing of relevant sensors and robot platforms, which may include UAVs, UGVs, or legged robots.
• Inspection and digital construction: Collaborate with the project team on processing robot-collected data and linking it, where relevant, to BIM, IFC, digital-twin, change-detection, or AI-based inspection workflows.
• Experimental validation: Plan and conduct laboratory and field experiments, evaluate system performance, document results and limitations, and improve reliability through iterative testing.
• Research and teamwork: Contribute to publications targeting high-impact robotics venues, project reports, technical documentation, and demonstrations, and support the preparation of follow-on European research proposals.
  
  

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should send the following to Dr Bilal Kaddouh (bk49@aub.edu.lb), Dr Hussein Hussein (hh224@aub.edu.lb), and Dr Rafael Papallas (rp00@aubmed.ac.cy), using the subject line: “ARIVE Research Assistant Application – [Your Name]".

• A cover letter of no more than two pages describing the candidate's relevant background, main area(s) of interest and experience, motivation for the role, and their contribution to one or two relevant robotics or engineering projects.
• A full CV, including, where available, links to relevant software, videos, repositories, project demonstrations, or publications.
• Contact details for two referees. References may be requested at a later stage.
  
  

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, which may include a technical discussion of the candidate's prior projects. A second interview or a short technical exercise may follow where needed. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and early applications are encouraged.

The American University of Beirut is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.