Academic Employee

Organisationseinheit

Institut für Fahrzeugsystemtechnik (FAST), KIT-Fakultät für Maschinenbau

Ihre Aufgaben

Mobile working machines (MWM) are critical to industries like construction, mining, and agriculture and key to Europe's sustainability and productivity goals. To meet rising demands for green, autonomous, and digital solutions, the ENGAGE network brings together top machine manufacturers (Volvo CE, Liebherr, Ponsse, AGCO), tech leaders (Bosch, Bosch Rexroth, Novatron, GIM Robotics), and six leading academic groups across Europe (KIT, TUM, TAU, UMU, AALTO).

Educating Europe's Future Engineers for the Next Generation of Mobile Working Machines: ENGAGE will train a new generation of engineers through Industrial Doctorates, equipping them with cutting-edge expertise in AI, robotics, and mechanical engineering. Together, we're building the future of smart, sustainable mobile machinery.

The project aims to develop advanced methods for evaluating terrain accessibility and drivability using 3D digital environment maps derived from available sensor data. This may involve a combination of geometric and texture-based information, such as semantic segmentation, to create a detailed understanding of the environment. A key objective is to assess the severity of surface deformations in relation to the off-road capabilities of a given machine. This assessment will serve as a foundation for informed decision-making in complex construction or agricultural tasks. Building on this, the project will also focus on the optimal planning of corrective measures that minimize disruption to the primary work process, ensuring efficiency and continuity. As part of the training component, the doctoral candidate (DC) will acquire broad interdisciplinary expertise at the intersection of machine learning, robotics, simulation, and construction processes.

In addition, the DC will contribute to the dissemination of project outcomes through digital and social media channels, including the project website, LinkedIn groups, YouTube video channels, and blog contributions. The project offers the opportunity to pursue a doctoral thesis.

The Supervisory Team will be Marcus Geimer (KIT) and Manuel Bös (Liebherr).

Eintrittstermin

March 1st, 2026. Negotiable.

Ihre Qualifikation

We are looking for a talented, creative and highly motivated researcher. Recruited researcher can be of any nationality. Doctoral Candidate must be eligible to be enrolled into Doctoral Program at KIT, which requires proof of a far above-average master's degree, and have not been awarded a doctoral degree. The candidate must also comply with the respective employers' requirements in Germany and Austria.

MSCA Mobility Rule: at the time of recruitment by the host organization the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of his/her employer (KIT, Germany) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to his/her recruitment. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered.

At the start of their employment, the applicant must hold a Master of Science (MSc) diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology or any equivalent course of study.

Proficiency in written/spoken English is mandatory. In certain cases, we may ask for a language certificate.

Das bieten wir Ihnen

KIT:

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) – The Research University in the Helmholtz Association creates und imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is our goal to make significant contributions to mastering the global challenges of mankind in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, around 9800 employees of KIT cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in research, academic education, and innovation.

Liebherr:

Situated about 45 minutes south of the city of Salzburg, Liebherr's Bischofshofen factory is the global competence centre for the group's wheel loaders. Surrounded by mountains of the Northern Limestone Alps, the site is specialised in the development, production and international marketing and sales of wheel loaders ranging from 4 t to well over 35 t gross weight - a product range of smart and efficient machines characterized by continuous innovation. The area offers a broad range of leisure activities in the mountains as well as cultural offerings in nearby Salzburg.

Salary

In Germany around 3.900 EUR/month for the full-time contract plus family allowance if applicable. The salary will be defined in accordance with MSCA funding rules.

Contract duration

36 months/full-time contract. KIT, Germany: 12 months - Liebherr, Austria: 24 months

Application up to

November 15, 2025

Contact person in line-management

For further information, please contact Simon Becker, E-Mail: .

Documents

• Certified copies of the bachelor's and master's degree certificates with the Diploma Supplement (DS) as approved by the EU Commission for degrees completed in European universities (when applicable). Official translations into English (if the original documents are in a language other than English)
• Curriculum Vitae/CV (preferably in Europass format)
• List of publications (if any)
• References: Contact details of 2 or more referees included in the CV
• Motivation letter: maximum 1 page where you introduce yourself and present your qualifications; you may include also your previous research fields and main research results. Please emphasize your future goals career-wise
• Proof of residence: A handwritten statement, along with certificates/documents you have submitted, demonstrating your residence(s) in the last 3 years.

Ausschreibungsnummer: 1276/2025

Wir streben eine möglichst gleichmäßige Besetzung der Arbeitsplätze mit Beschäftigten (w/m/d) an und würden uns daher insbesondere über Bewerbungen von Frauen freuen. Bei gleicher Eignung werden anerkannt schwerbehinderte Menschen bevorzugt berücksichtigt.

Kontakt

Bei allgemeinen Fragen zur Bewerbung:

Personalservice (PSE) - Personalbetreuung

Frau Kehrer

Telefon: ,

Kaiserstr. 12, 76131 Karlsruhe

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