Research Associate / Doctoral Candidate (m/f/d) for Safe Operation in Autonomous Driving Bus

Position Overview

The Chair of Automotive Technology at Technical University of Munich (Garching campus, School of Engineering and Design) is looking for a Research Associate / Doctoral Candidate (m/f/d) for Safe Operation in Autonomous Driving Bus.

Motivation

Our goal is to bring a fully automated shuttle bus (SAE L4) into operation on the public roads in Munich. To achieve this, we develop new functions and test them directly on our research platform EDGAR and on a city bus. To bridge the research into real operation in public transit, join us to shape the future of public transportation and research on exciting dissertation topics!

Your Challenge

As a PhD student, you will work on open research questions in your topic area, develop viable solutions, and transfer them back to the L4 stack and onto the bus. You will combine excellent research with real-world application in city transportation. EDGAR and the city bus will be available to you for development and testing.

Research Topics

• Multi-Stack Handling – Safe cooperation and activation of multiple parallel driving stacks.
• Runtime Risk Assessment – Continuous evaluation of driving risk at runtime.
• Supervisor Architecture – Higher-level safety system for monitoring autonomous operation.
• Remote Assistance via ODD Modification – Remote assistance through modification of operational design domain (ODD).

Qualifications

• Very good master’s degree in computer science, robotics, engineering sciences, or a related field.
• Strong communication and organization skills.
• German and English (minimum B2 level).
• Solid programming skills in Python, C++, ROS2.

Benefits

• Fixed full-time position according to TV-L E13, 100%, for 2+1 years.
• Opportunity to pursue a PhD and found a startup.
• Innovative research field with high relevance.
• Modern working environment and infrastructure.
• Flexible working hours, including home office.
• Dedicated budget for training and conferences.
• Opportunity for a research stay abroad.
• Start from 1 September 2026.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The position is suitable for applicants with severe disabilities; it requires presence at the chair, travel, teamwork, and experiments in laboratories or on test tracks. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference in cases of essentially equal suitability. TUM aims to increase the proportion of women in its workforce; applications from women are expressly encouraged.

The position is suitable for disabled persons. Disabled applicants will be given preference in case of generally equivalent suitability, aptitude and professional performance.