Join Mila’s Robotics & Machine Learning Lab: Postdoc Positions Now Open!

Are you a robotics or machine learning researcher ready to push the boundaries of intelligent systems? The Robotics and Embodied AI Lab (REAL) at Mila – Québec AI Institute – is opening its doors to new postdoctoral researchers who are passionate about reinforcement learning, robotics, and foundational AI models.

About the REAL Lab

REAL is part of the Département d’Informatique et de Recherche Opérationnelle (DIRO) at the Université de Montréal and is led by Canada CIFAR AI Chairs Liam Paull and Glen Berseth. The lab boasts a thriving community of over 30 members, four research assistants, and collaborations with professors across Montreal.

REAL’s core mission? Developing generalist robot systems capable of handling a wide variety of tasks in unstructured environments—a true leap toward embodied AI.

Who Should Apply?

REAL is seeking postdocs with a strong background in deep learning, robotics, and reinforcement learning. Ideal candidates will have:

• A Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or Math/Physics with a focus on robotics or machine learning.
• A strong publication record at top-tier conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICRA, CVPR).
• Experience in leading new research initiatives and a passion for mentoring or guiding teams.
• Excellent English communication skills.
• Proficiency in C++, Python, Docker, and handling high-performance compute servers.

Research Focus Areas

REAL’s open postdoc positions are designed for researchers with expertise in:

Robotics

• Foundational models for embodied AI
• Vision-language-action models
• Legged and humanoid robotics
• Autonomous learning
• Planning from vision
• Sim2Real learning transfer

Machine Learning & Reinforcement Learning

• Multi-agent reinforcement learning (RL)
• Goal-conditioned and hierarchical RL
• Offline and sample-efficient RL
• Language-based agents for RL
• RL for discovery in real-world systems

Equipment & Opportunities

As a REAL postdoc, you’ll have access to cutting-edge robotic platforms including:

• Franka and UR5 robot arms
• Mobile manipulation units
• Clearpath mobile robots
• Quadrupeds and humanoids
• Mila’s dedicated high-performance computing clusters

You’ll also collaborate with industry sponsors and contribute to cross-disciplinary projects in scientific discovery, such as energy optimization, drug discovery, and materials design.

Professional Development

This role isn’t just research—it’s full-stack career training. You’ll gain experience in:

• Large-scale project management
• Grant writing and proposal development
• Advanced software tools
• Student mentorship and supervision
• (Optional) Teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level

How to Apply

Interested candidates can submit their application here.

🗓️ Application Deadline: May 2, 2025