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

18.06.2026, Academic staff

The Chair of Automotive Technology at Technical University of Munich (Garching cmapus, School of Engineering and Design) is looking for a research associate / doctoral candidate (m/f/d) for Perception in Autonomous Driving Bus

Research Associate / Doctoral Candidate (m/f/d) for Peception 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 the open research questions in your topic area, develop viable solution concepts, 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 are available to you for development and testing.

In Perception, We Have The Following Topics Open

• Scalable & Dynamic Mapping – How can Lanelet- and HD maps be generated scalably and updated?
• Robust Perception – Safe recognition of safety-critical objects with the goal of no false negatives.
• Perception under Adverse Weather – Robust environment perception in rain, fog, snow, and bad illumination.
• Context-Aware Motion Prediction – Intention and trajectory prediction of others w.r.t. scenario context.
• E2E Perception (2-Stage) – Performant perception as a coherent two-stage end-to-end stack.

Your Profile

• Very good master's degree in computer science, robotics, engineering sciences, or a related environment
• Communication and organization come naturally to you
• German and English, minimum B2 level
• Solid programming skills in Python, C++, ROS2

We offer

• 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 October 2026

Please send only one application for max. two positions! 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.

Application

We Look Forward To Receiving Your Comprehensive Application Documents, Including a Cover Letter, CV, And Attachments. Please Send Them As Soon As Possible, With The Position Title In The Subject Line, By Email Or Post To

Christiane Schulte

Lehrstuhl für Fahrzeugtechnik

Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748 Garching

[email protected]

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

Data Protection Information

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Kontakt: [email protected]