Two Postdoctoral Positions in Robot Learning and Embodied AI

Two Postdoctoral Positions in Robot Learning and Embodied AI  
* Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis
Machine Intelligence for Robot Autonomy (MIRA) Laboratory
AI4I — Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Turin
Duration
2 years, renewable
Start date
Preferred November 2026; flexible
Compensation
€30,000–€55,000 gross per year
(Researchers relocating from abroad may be eligible for tax exemptions of up to 90%. [link] )
The Machine Intelligence for Robot Autonomy (MIRA) Laboratory at the Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI4I), is seeking  two Postdoctoral Researchers in Robot Learning and Embodied AI .
Our goal at MIRA is to develop the algorithmic foundations and system-level methodologies that enable AI-powered autonomous systems to operate safely, efficiently, and reliably in high-stakes environments. Our work addresses these challenges by employing and advancing techniques from AI/ML, statistical learning, control theory, and mathematical optimization, and we apply the results to aerospace robotics, future mobility systems, and autonomy imately, the goal of our lab is to push the boundaries of autonomy in high-stakes, safety-critical domains.

These environments force existing methods to operate at the edge of what is currently possible, accelerating the next generation of autonomous systems: "a wind tunnel for Physical AI".
We are looking for researchers who want to tackle ambitious problems in AI and autonomy, with strong technical foundations, clear scientific taste, and the ambition to define and lead new research directions.
Research
Successful candidates will have the freedom and support to shape their research agenda within the broader scientific direction of MIRA. Topics of interest include:
Foundation models for autonomy, including LLMs, VLMs, and VLAs
Reinforcement Learning and Imitation Learning
Physical AI safety
Continual learning, generalization under distribution shift, and real-time adaptation
Integration of learning with optimal control and model-based methods
Decision-making for large-scale, coordinated, multi-agent autonomous systems
We are especially interested in research that moves beyond isolated capabilities toward integrated robot autonomy that operates robustly beyond tightly controlled demonstrations.
Research environment
MIRA is part of AI4I, a national research institute dedicated to foundational and applied research in artificial intelligence. The lab is being built now, and the researchers who join at this stage will shape its research agenda, its experimental infrastructure, and its scientific culture.
Postdoctoral researchers will be encouraged to lead ambitious projects, publish at top international venues, build and test methods on real robotic systems, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to the scientific direction of the laboratory.
MIRA is proud to maintain active collaborations with frontier research labs and institutions, including Stanford University, MIT, ETH Zurich, DTU, TUM, NASA, ESA, and others. Depending on the candidate’s research program, opportunities may include research visits and extended scientific exchanges. The working language of the lab is English.
Who we are looking for
Applicants should hold, or be close to completing, a PhD in artificial intelligence, robotics, computer vision, machine learning, control, or a related field
A strong publication record  at top AI and robotics venues (NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, ICRA, IROS, RSS, CVPR, CoRL, L4DC, and similar)
Research depth  in one or more of the areas listed above
Strong programming skills in Python  and fluency with modern deep learning frameworks

Experience with physical robotic systems  and autonomy software, including ROS or ROS 2, are highly valued
Candidates are not expected to cover every area. Depth, originality, motivation, and the ability to pursue important research questions matter more than matching a checklist of techniques.
What we offer
An ambitious, dynamic research environment.  MIRA is a new laboratory inside a national AI institute, and researchers joining at this stage will help shape its research agenda, its experimental…