Postdoctoral Researcher in Multi-Robot Systems

(full-time, E 13 TV-L)

Reference No.: 2026/193. The preferred start date is 1 January 2027. The position is initially limited to 12 months. An extension up to a total employment period of 30 months is intended, subject to the availability of project funding. In principle this position can be divided into two part-time positions.

The University of Konstanz is a dynamic and internationally successful research university with approximately 10,000 students. The campus university’s architecture promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and a sense of community among researchers, lecturers and students. The University of Konstanz has been continuously funded by the German Excellence Strategy since 2006.

We are the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour (CASCB), a cooperation between the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. CASCB is an interdisciplinary environment for the study of collective behaviour in animals and robots that is unique worldwide as it combines researchers from several disciplines, including biology, physics, computer science, neuroscience, psychology, and economics. For more information about CASCB and its community, please visit: https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collective-behaviour/, or watch: https://youtu.be/S0MkSuBK0iI

The successful applicant will join the research groups led by Dr Andreagiovanni Reina and Prof. Dr Heiko Hamann and carry out core research and technical work for SpatialDataChain — Blockchain-Governed Collaborative Spatial Perception for Multi-Vendor Robot Fleets. The project develops a vendor-independent framework through which heterogeneous robots can build, share and retrieve trustworthy spatial knowledge. The postdoctoral researcher will combine ROS 2-based multi-robot simultaneous localisation and mapping with blockchain services for storing, exchanging and retrieving spatial data. A further focus is the design of incentive and governance mechanisms that encourage robots and stakeholders to contribute useful information: data provenance and information flows will be tracked on the blockchain, supporting a transparent circular data economy based on contribution, reputation and controlled access. The system will be evaluated in NVIDIA Isaac Sim, integrated with physical robots and validated in an application-oriented demonstrator.

The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to exchanges with prospective robotics or intralogistics partners and support the preparation and delivery of an application-oriented final demonstration. The work is embedded in CASCB's interdisciplinary community.

Your Responsibilities

    • Contribute across the project's technical work packages, under the scientific direction of the PIs, from requirements and architecture to integrated validation and the final demonstrator
    • Develop collaborative spatial perception and multi-robot SLAM for heterogeneous fleets using ROS 2
    • Design blockchain-based governance and incentive mechanisms that track contributions and encourage reliable information sharing
    • Implement interfaces for storing, exchanging and retrieving spatial data, including provenance and access control
    • Build experiments in NVIDIA Isaac Sim, integrate the system on physical robots
    • Contribute to communication with prospective industry partners and to the preparation of the partner-facing case study and final demonstration
    • Analyse and publish results, present the work, and contribute to student supervision and project dissemination

Your Competencies

    • PhD in robotics, computer science, engineering or a closely related field, completed or close to completion by the starting date
    • Strong programming skills, preferably in C++ and/or Python, with practical experience using ROS or ROS 2
    • Research experience in at least one of: multi-robot systems, SLAM, robot perception or collective robotics
    • Interest or experience in distributed systems, blockchain, incentive design, mechanism design or game theory is welcome; expertise in all areas is not expected
    • Ability to design, implement and evaluate robotic systems in simulation and on physical platforms
    • Confidence to drive technical work independently and collaborate constructively with scientific and industry partners
    • Strong scientific writing and presentation skills in English, demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and experience presenting research

We Offer

    • A funded postdoctoral position within SpatialDataChain, with room to shape the research direction
    • An interdisciplinary environment at CASCB connecting robotics, collective behaviour and distributed systems
    • Access to multi-robot platforms, advanced experimental facilities and NVIDIA Isaac Sim
    • Close collaboration with the Reina and Hamann groups and CASCB/Max Planck partners
    • Support for publishing, conference participation, mentoring and career development
    • Salary according to E 13 TV-L and University of Konstanz employment conditions
    • A family-friendly, inclusive workplace promoting diversity and equal opportunities
All Benefits

Questions can be directed to Ms Dr. Andreagiovanni Reina via E-Mail: andreagiovanni.reina@uni-konstanz.de.

We look forward to receiving your application, including a cover letter outlining your fit for the project, a curriculum vitae with publication list, and copies of academic degree certificates. Please submit your application by 15 October 2026 via our Online Application Portal.

The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity, as well as a good balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in research and teaching. We also support working couples through our dual career programme. Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They will be given preference if appropriately qualified (contact sbv@uni-konstanz.de, + 49 7531 88-4016).