Cranfield University
Research Assistant or Research Fellow in Automated Car Software
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Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Automotive, Energy and Photonics
Research Assistant or Research Fellow in Automated Car Software
Fixed Term Contract for 18 months
Research Assistant (if PhD close to completion): Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £29,950 to £35,019 per annum, with potential progression up to £40,984 per annum
Research Fellow (if PhD obtained): Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £38,655 to £46,492 per annum, with potential progression up to £53,108 per annum
Location: Cranfield, Bedfordshire
We welcome applications from skilled researchers with a passion for the development of robust and efficient software to contribute to our experimental work in automated cars.
About the Role
The successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of high-quality research in automated vehicle navigation and perception systems. As a key aspect of this role, you will have the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in developing and maintaining software solutions for our existing automated driving platform CONRRAD, developed as part of the previous UKRI project Driven by Sound.
You will contribute to the development of tools for debugging, testing and validation of automated driving functions, as well as visualisation of multi-sensor data. You will also support the optimisation of full-stack automated driving pipelines and contribute to the design and evaluation of novel perception algorithms for automated driving. You could also develop your own research portfolio by supervising MSc individual research projects aligned with the Centre’s research themes. You will be expected to contribute to project delivery, research dissemination through publications and technical reports, and support collaborative activities with academic and industrial partners.
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About You
You will have a PhD (or close to completion) in a relevant subject, such as computer science, embedded systems, robotics, mechatronic engineering, or closely allied topics, or be able to demonstrate a comparable level of knowledge and experience, typically achieved through no fewer than three years’ postgraduate experience in a directly relevant research and development environment.
You will have knowledge of software testing, debugging, optimisation and deployment practices, with experience in communication middleware and protocols used in robotics or autonomous systems. You will have excellent problem-solving and self-management skills, with the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary research teams. The ideal candidate will have been first author or joint first author on at least one publication in a reputable academic journal (pending publications can also be considered).
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.
The Advanced Vehicle Engineering Centre focuses primarily on the development, application and evaluation of advanced vehicle technologies to help make vehicles more capable, lighter, greener and more efficient. Working across multiple sectors including automotive, aerospace, agriculture, defence and motorsport, we leverage our specialisms in electric & hybrid vehicle batteries, autonomous vehicles, vehicle dynamics, brake system performance, hybrid material development for vehicle light-weighting, motorsport vehicle simulation and testing, mechatronic system development and tyre dynamics etc., all to provide a holistic technical solution to our commercial clients and a well-rounded, industry-linked education to our students.
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Find out more about the Advanced Vehicle Engineering Centre here.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.
We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Marco Cecotti, Lecturer in Driving Automation, on (E): m.cecotti@cranfield.ac.uk
Apply online now. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on (E): peoplerecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5386.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 16 September 2026
Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
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