Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) within Robotic Automation of Disassembling Electric Battery Packs

Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) within Robotic Automation of Disassembling Electric Battery Packs

The Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry is offering a postdoctoral scholarship within Robotics and Control Systems.  The postdoctoral scholarship is full-time for 2 years starting June 1, 2025, or by agreement. The deadline for application submission is March 3, 2025.

Project Description and Tasks              
The rapid increase in electric vehicle adoption highlights the critical importance of reliable battery technology. Typically, multiple battery modules for electric vehicles are packed together, and these packs are replaced when their performance declines. Proper recycling of batteries nearing the end of their life is essential for sustainable development. However, manual disassembly of used battery packs and individual cells presents risks due to possibly incomplete discharge and risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals. This project addresses these challenges through the development of robotic automation.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will have the opportunity to:

1. Conduct detailed theoretical studies on
   1. disassembly procedures for battery packs and individual cells,
   2. state-of-the-art robotic automation techniques, including position and contact force control, machine vision, and machine learning methods.
2. Investigate robotic automation of various disassembly tasks through theoretical studies. This includes analyzing strategies for tasks such as unscrewing bolts, removing panels, plates, and covers, and cutting electric wires. The investigations will explore applying advanced control methodologies, potentially integrating ideas from the patent "Method, system and computer program for controlling dynamic manipulations by a robot" (SE 1850676-6) to optimize precision and adaptability in dynamic manipulation tasks. For further details, please refer to the full patent document (https://tc.prv.se/spd/pdf/K1T_viclIb3WS3oljenFlQ/SE544631.C2.pdf).
3. Investigate robotic automation of the listed above tasks through experimental studies and implementation using ABB industrial robotic manipulators.
4. Disseminate findings through presentations at scientific conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Additionally, there may be opportunities to participate in future commercialization efforts, the development of new technologies, and related patent applications to protect intellectual property.

The scholarship is for two (2) years and is funded by the Kempe Foundations. The tax-free scholarship amounts to 720 000 SEK in total (360 000 SEK annual average) and is usually paid out as four separate payments during scholarship period. 

Qualifications
To qualify as a postdoctoral scholarship holder, the candidate is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirements must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient.  

Priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree before that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, military service, or similar circumstances, or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area. 

Doctoral degree should be in a subject relevant to the project, such as robotics and control systems or related fields considered directly relevant to the subject area.

Fluency in English, both in oral and written forms, is mandatory.  

It is meriting to have one or more of the following skills/qualities: 

• Theoretical expertise in robotic manipulation, including motion planning and control design.
• Hands-on experience programming industrial or service robots, particularly using ABB RobotStudio or similar software.
• Knowledge of battery technology.

Experience in related areas, such as mechanical design, computer vision, and machine learning, will be considered an advantage.

Successful candidates should demonstrate high motivation, goal orientation, critical thinking skills, and receptiveness to constructive feedback as well as strong collaboration skills with other members of a research team.

Application
A complete application must include:

1. Cover letter (maximum 3 pages) summarizing your qualifications, scientific interests, motivations for applying, and a clear explanation of how you meet the criteria outlined above.
2. Curriculum vitae (CV), including a publication list and a brief statement of your contributions to relevant publications.
3. Doctoral degree certificate or documentation of your expected completion date.
4. Doctoral thesis (PDF or download link).
5. Academic diplomas (e.g., master’s and bachelor’s degrees).
6. University transcripts showing courses and grades. For international applicants, include a brief explanation of the grading system.
7. References: Contact information for at least two individuals who are willing to provide a reference.

The application and all supporting documents must be in English or Swedish and submitted in PDF format through the electronic recruitment system Varbi. The application deadline is March 3, 2025.

Further Information          
For more information, please contact Leonid Freidovich (leonid.freidovich@umu.se) or Naser Tavajohi (naser.tavajohi@umu.se).

We look forward to receiving your application!