PhD scholarship in Situational Awareness Augmentation with Foundation AI Models for Enhanced Se[...]

Are you passionate about driving sustainable and human-centred digital innovation in the maritime industry? Then join our team to shape the future of autonomous systems, enhancing the safety and reliability of autonomous operations at sea.
Would you like to contribute to the sustainable and human-centered digitalization of the maritime industry? Are you energized by the opportunity to design future AI systems to improve the safety of navigation across the seven seas? Would you like to establish yourself as a key scientist in autonomous systems and be part of an internationally leading research group? Then look no further because the opportunity to fulfill your professional ambitions stands right in front of you. Following the successful implementation and demonstration of the GreenHopper, Denmark’s first autonomous harbor bus, DTU Electro will break new ground on autonomy at sea by pursuing the development, testing and verification of the next generation of situational awareness and collision avoidance systems that integrate foundation AI models.

As a PhD candidate, you will have the unique chance to contribute to groundbreaking research that merges the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, and maritime navigation. You will work alongside leading experts in the field, collaborate with international partners, and access state-of-the-art facilities.

This position offers a pathway to a highly impactful career, opening doors to opportunities in academia, industry, and government. Whether you are driven by the desire to push the boundaries of technology, contribute to a human-centered digital transformation of the maritime industry, or lead innovations in the growing field of autonomous systems, this PhD position will equip you with the skills, knowledge, and experience to succeed.

If you are passionate, driven, and ready to make waves, we want you on our team Our inclusive research environment values diverse perspectives and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Let’s build a safer maritime environment together

The PhD project builds on the strategic partnership between the Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering (DTU Electro) and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (DTU Compute).

The research of this project has civilian objectives. However, equipment restricted by export licenses and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is being used. Applicants that are citizens of Denmark, Norway and other NATO countries, Australia, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine are eligible. Other applicants should provide evidence of eligibility to use such equipment for their application to be considered.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to strengthen DTU expertise in autonomous marine systems. The research focus will be on development, implementation and verification of a foundation model tailored for maritime navigation, which performs contextual reasoning about ship’s navigation scenarios in continuous collaboration with the human navigator. You will work closely with members of the autonomous ship research group at DTU Electro. You will also gain international experience by engaging with academic institutions abroad.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Perform internationally relevant research in situational awareness for marine navigation using foundational models
• Create relevant datasets through experimental campaigns in the field
• Develop a language-action model that fuses the navigation actions into an existing LLM and provides textual guidance for collision avoidance
• Develop a vision-language-action model that reasons about navigation scenarios and provides visual and textual guidance for collision avoidance.
• Verify the contextual reasoning of the developed system in relation to simple and complex navigation scenarios.
• Lead the preparation of scientific publications towards ISI journals and highly ranked international conferences
• Share findings of your research with qualified professional audiences
• Co-supervise BSc and MSc projects possibly within areas relevant to the PhD project
• Provide teaching assistance in BSc and MSc courses at DTU Electro

As part of the Danish PhD program, you will also take PhD courses, participate in teaching, conduct an external research stay, and disseminate your research through publications.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Additionally, you should meet the following qualifications:

• Strong analytical skills and background in artificial intelligence, with focus on machine learning, deep learning and foundational models.
• Experience within the field of machine learning for robotics applications is a plus.
• Documented experience through courses, projects or former professional work to develop and test applications using artificial intelligence tools, preferably Generative AI
• Proficiency in Python
• Strong communication skills in English, especially in connection to writing and presenting scientific results.
• Curiosity and passion drive you to uncover the unknown. Your energy enables you to collaborate effectively with peers and pursue independent work towards shared objectives. As a results-driven individual, you can go above and beyond to meet crucial deadlines.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education.

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Associate Professor Roberto Galeazzi (DTU Electro) and Professor Line K. H. Clemmensen (DTU Compute).

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years. The preferred starting date is December 1, 2024, or according to a mutual agreement. The position is a full-time position.

Further information may be obtained from Roberto Galeazzi, Associate Professor, Head of DTU Center for Collaborative Autonomous Systems by sending an email to

You can read more about the Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering at You can read more about the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 13 September 2024(23:59 Danish time) .

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file . The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Links to webpages, GitHub repositories, YouTube channels reporting your work in the field of artificial intelligence
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• List of publications (if any)

You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

DTU Electro has more than 300 employees with competencies in electrical and photonics engineering. Research is performed within robotics, autonomous systems, power electronics, acoustic, nanophotonics, lasers, quantum photonics, optical sensors, LEDs, photovoltaics, ultra-high speed optical transmission systems, bio-photonics.

DTU Compute consists of ten pure research sections, each with its own focus, all engaging in cross-disciplinary research. These sections conduct research at the intersection of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. Additionally, two sections focus on research-based innovation and collaboration with external partners, businesses, and organisations. Research also occurs at several separate research centres affiliated with one or more sections.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

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