Job Description
The candidate is responsible for managing and driving a controls team that primarily works on designing and
implementing controls on physical robotic systems. The team typically focuses on sub-systems like the
collaborative serial robot, force-torque sensors , and a vision sensor. The team works on problems including but
not limited to the following aspects:
Control Design
- Development and deployment of advanced control methodologies, including:
- Force and position control
- Impedance and admittance control
- Adaptive, robust, and stochastic control techniques
- Vision-based control, such as visual servoing, etc
- Ensuring control systems meet performance, reliability, and robustness standards.
Modeling
- Accurate modeling and analysis of physical systems, including:
- Statics and dynamics of serial robots
- Modeling of end effector/ environmental dynamics needed for control implementation.
- Validation and refinement of models to support control and estimation development.
Estimation and Sensor Integration
- Development of state estimation algorithms to improve system performance, incorporating:
- Kalman filters, observers, and other estimation techniques.
- Sensor fusion to combine data from force-torque, vision, and other sensors.
- Calibration of sensors (force-torque, vision, etc.) for accurate and reliable measurements.
- Integration of real-time sensor feedback into control systems to enhance overall system functionality.
Motion planning
- Development of motion planners tailored to the specific demands of the problem statement or surgical
setup. - Design and implementation of generic motion planning frameworks that are modular and adaptable,
capable of being customized to suit various surgical setups and applications.
Key Responsibilities of the candidate
Team Management and Leadership
- Providing technical guidance, mentorship, and strategic direction to the controls team.
- Coordinating cross-functional collaborations to ensure seamless integration of subsystems into a
complete system. - Overseeing project timelines, resource allocation, and deliverables.
Research and Development
- Encouraging innovation by exploring and implementing emerging control and estimation techniques.
- Driving experiments and prototyping to validate new approaches in control, modeling, and estimation.
This role demands a strong combination of technical expertise and leadership skills. The ideal candidate should
excel in designing and implementing advanced control algorithms tailored to serial robots while effectively
managing and guiding a team to deliver innovative solutions for complex physical systems.
In addition, hands-on experience in designing and deploying control strategies on physical robotic platforms is a mandatory requirement. This includes a deep understanding of real-world challenges and system dynamics, along with proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, or MATLAB for algorithm development, and experience with real-time control frameworks, middleware (e.g., ROS, RTOS), for deploying control algorithms. The candidate should have strong system integration skills to combine various subsystems (e.g. sensors, robotic arms, and controllers) into a cohesive robotic platform, also should be familiar with software development best practices and expertise in using simulation tools to validate control strategies before hardware implementation.
The individual will be part of the robotics division at the research and development unit of the Healthcare
Technology Innovation Center (Robotics | HTIC IITMadras).
Post Level
Senior level
Designation for the position
Senior Robotics Control Engineer
Experience
5-8 years experience
Qualification
MS. or PhD. (Instrumentation and Control, Robotics and Automation, Mechatronics Engineering) (or) Previous
experience in control of robotic manipulators.
Contact
Interested candidates can apply through our LinkedIn Page or send an email to akashsm@htic.iitm.ac.in and shyam@htic.iitm.ac.in