Assistant Professor In Advanced Autonomous Flight Control (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Assistant Professor in Advanced Autonomous Flight Control (Aerospace/Control): Developing autonomous control methods for the next generation of uncrewed aerial vehicles with an accent on agile, robust, and cooperative flight control. Focus on transitioning from waypoint-based navigation to smooth, continuous autonomous operations in challenging environments.

Location: Delft, Netherlands (Hybrid: partly from home)

Salary: €4,728 – €6,433 per month

Company

A leading international university in the Netherlands dedicated to pioneering research and high-quality engineering education to solve global challenges.

What you will do

• Establish and lead a research program focused on the transition to autonomous aircraft operations in single- and multi-drone scenarios.
• Develop advanced control methods, including MPC, nonlinear, fault-tolerant, and cooperative control for resilient flight.
• Validate theoretical developments using drone facilities and crewed flying laboratories (e.g., Cessna Citation, Piper Skymaster).
• Supervise MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral researchers, fostering a new generation of aerospace engineers.
• Attract competitive research funding and build collaborations with academic, industrial, and governmental partners.
• Teach and develop BSc and MSc courses in Aerospace Engineering, specifically in flight dynamics and flight control.

Requirements

• PhD in aerospace control, control engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and experimentally validating advanced flight control methods using drone platforms.
• Experience with low-level flight control and multi-robot or cooperative control systems.
• Established research profile evidenced by high-quality scientific publications.
• Ambition and ability to attract competitive research funding.
• English: C1+ (excellent command) required; willingness to learn Dutch within a reasonable timeframe.

Culture & Benefits

• Academic Career Track with a path toward Associate Professor within eight years.
• Access to a specialized Development program in Education, Research, Societal Impact, and Leadership.
• Customizable compensation package, health insurance discounts, and monthly work cost contributions.
• Flexible work schedules with options to work partly from home.
• Comprehensive relocation support via Coming to Delft Service, including guidance on housing and schools.
• Dual Career Programme to assist accompanying partners with their job search in the Netherlands.

Hiring process

• Application via upload of CV and Motivational letter.
• Knowledge security risk assessment conducted during final stages.
• Obligatory exemption process through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).