Postdoctoral Fellow Opening: Reinforcement Learning for the Control of Human-Inspired Musculoskeletal Robots
Are you passionate about creating next-generation robots that mimic the human neuromuscular system through muscle-like actuation, adaptive neural control, and human-inspired movement intelligence? Human-Inspired Musculoskeletal Robotics is poised to transform autonomous and assistive robotics, ranging from humanoids and quadrupeds to prosthetic limbs and wearable exoskeletons.
As part of a SNSF Co-Investigator Grant between ETH Zurich’s SoftRobotics Lab and University of Twente’s NeuBotics Lab, we are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow interested in advancing reinforcement learning approaches for the control of human-inspired musculoskeletal robots. The project focuses on creating digital twins of musculoskeletal robots equipped with neuronal control networks, with the aim of deriving robust robot controllers for sim2real applications.
If you are excited by interdisciplinary research at the interface of robotics, biomechanics, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience, we encourage you to apply.
The opening
The project combines advanced neuromusculoskeletal modeling, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, and robotic experimentation to enable the next generation of human-inspired musculoskeletal robots.
Your tasks will be
• Gradually adapt human neuromusculoskeletal models to incorporate robotic limbs based on muscle-like, variable-stiffness actuators.
• Development of digital musculoskeletal robot twins integrating neuromusculoskeletal models and models of electrofluidic robotic actuators.
• Develop digital twins of musculoskeletal robotic limbs equipped with muscle-like actuators and neural control networks.
• Use reinforcement learning (RL) to train digital robot twins to learn roboust movements underlying human-like joint impedance control.
• Develop imitation learning frameworks where robotic limbs learn to reproduce human-like movement and stiffness properties by observing a moving human twin.
• Sim2Real transfer on RL-policies to real hardware.
Your secondary tasks will include:
• Collaboration with interdisciplinary researchers in biomechanics, robotics, and machine learning.
• Dissemination of research through publications, open-source software, and international conferences.
About the Lab
The NeuBotics Lab is a multidisciplinary team at the forefront of neuromechanics, robotics, and human movement science. Our work bridges neuroscience, biomechanics, artificial intelligence, and robotics to develop adaptive control strategies and real-time biomechanical models for assistive and autonomous robotic systems.
You will join a dynamic research environment focused on translating computational neuromusculoskeletal models into real-world robotic applications, including prosthetic limbs, wearable exoskeletons, and autonomous musculoskeletal robots.
Why Join Us?
- Be part of a cutting-edge research project.
- Collaborate with leading researchers across Europe.
- Work in a vibrant academic environment at one of the Netherlands’ top technical universities.
- Access to state-of-the-art lab computational and robotics facilities.
Information and application
Apply by 23:59 on July 5, 2026. Interviews will take place in the week of July 13th. Expected starting date is October 2026.
Screening is part of the procedure.
Applications should include the following documents:
- A video (2-minute max) describing your scientific interests and why you are applying for this position.
- A cover letter (1-page max) specifying how your experience and skills match the position as well as summarizing your scientific work.
- A CV including English proficiency level, nationality, visa requirements, date of birth, experience overview, and publication list.
- Contact information for at least three academic references. A support letter will be requested by us only if your application is considered
For more information on the open position, you can contact Prof. Massimo Sartori, mail: m.sartori@utwente.nl. Please, only apply via the web platform. Please, do not apply via email.
About the organisation
At the Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET), we work on engineering for impact: developing smart, sustainable, human-centred and technological solutions for societal challenges. We connect fundamental education, research and practice across five core domains: Asset & Maintenance engineering, Intelligent Manufacturing Systems, Personalised Health Technology, Resilience Engineering, and Sustainable Production, Energy and Resources.
We work on education and research in mechanical engineering, civil engineering and industrial design engineering. Together, we learn by making, creating, and innovating, addressing challenges in a solution-oriented way. Quality, connection and inclusivity are the foundation of our culture.
In our open community, students, researchers and staff collaborate with industrial and societal partners. This enables us to develop insights, applications and solutions that add value to society.
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