Graduate Students
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Postdocs
I have a funded PDF position available in the Algorithms Optimization and Control Lab (AOCL) at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
This position is part of the Drone Transport Initiative, a partnership project working to deliver medicine and blood products to and from remote communities using autonomous drones. This position involves developing autonomy algorithms for these drones.
This is a 2-3 year position and part of a 3 year proof-of-concept technology development program working to demonstrate drone-based delivery of medicine in Northern BC.
Scope of Work
The successful applicant will:
- Develop and implement automated flight planning algorithms for long-range medical drones
- Work with industrial collaborators to deploy these algorithms on hardware
- Support regulatory filings to obtain flight approvals
- Support flight test campaigns (includes occasional travel to the Prince George area)
Work Environment
The successful candidate will be part of the Drone Transport Initiative and the Algorithms, Optimization, and Control Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. We are located on UBCs Point Grey campus on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people, surrounded by forest, ocean and mountains. Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the most diverse cities in Canada, and one of the most livable cities in the world.
Qualifications
- A PhD degree in engineering
- Background in Robotics, Mechanical, Electrical and/or Aerospace engineering
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Technical skills in path planning, optimization, control systems, C++, and ROS (or embedded systems)
- Experience with flight and/or robotic hardware testing
The successful candidate will need to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities and stakeholders in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner.
If you have any questions:
Dominic Liao-McPherson | dliaomcp {at} mech.ubc.ca
How to apply
- Submit the following documents by email at dliaomcp {at} mech.ubc.ca
- A resume/CV;
- A cover letter/statement of intent (including relevant experience, your research interests);
- Please submit all documents as a single .pdf file and use the following format for the email subject line: [DTI Postdoc application]: LastName, FirstName
- Please indicate in your submission if you are eligible to apply for an NSERC PDF Fellowships
- Those shortlisted for further consideration will be contacted for an online interview and given instructions about submitting a formal application.
- Due to the volume of emails received only those shortlisted will be contacted; I apologize in advance.
We encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.
Key Dates
- 2026/07/17 | First review date for applications
- 2026/08/07 | Last review date for applications (no applications will be considered after this date)
- 2026/09/14 | Nominal start date (or a mutually agreed upon time shortly thereafter)
Salary Ranges
- $70,000 – $80,000 per year + benefits
- Those holding major external awards (e.g., NSERC PDF Fellowships) are eligible for a top-up
Undergraduate Students
I participate in all the all of the undergraduate research opportunities offered by the department including e.g., MECH 493 (mech students) and NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (any department).
- If you’re interested in working with me please reach out by email.
- Apologies, but I don’t take undergraduate volunteers outside of these pathways
Visiting Researchers
We regularly host visiting students and researchers from other institutions. If you’re interested in visiting the lab for a short research stay (e.g., a European style Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis) reach out to me by email.