PhD Scholarship in Energy Harvesting for Bio-Inspired Flying Robots – University of Southern Denmark

Summary

The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) is inviting applications for a fully salaried 3-year PhD position focused on energy harvesting for bio-inspired flying robots. The project is part of the FreeFly project, which aims to develop a bird-like autonomous flying robot capable of inspecting high-voltage power lines.

The research will investigate innovative methods to harvest energy from the magnetic fields surrounding high-voltage power lines, helping aerial robots operate for longer periods with reduced reliance on conventional batteries.

Designation

PhD Fellow / PhD Candidate

Research Area

• Energy Harvesting
• Magnetic-Field Energy Harvesting
• Electrical & Electronics Engineering
• Embedded Hardware
• Bio-Inspired Robotics
• Autonomous Flying Robots
• Power-Line Inspection
• Sensors and Embedded Systems
• High-Frequency Electronics

Location

University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark

Eligibility / Qualification

Applicants should have:

• A completed BSc and MSc in:
  • Electronics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Physics
  • Mechatronics
  • or a closely related discipline.
• Final-semester Master’s students may also apply, provided they complete their MSc before the start date and satisfy PhD admission requirements.
• Strong technical knowledge relevant to energy harvesting, particularly:
  • Magnetic-field energy harvesting
  • Electronics
  • Embedded hardware architectures
• Good academic writing skills, including preparation of scientific reports, documentation, and research publications.
• Applicants should demonstrate motivation and interest in energy harvesting and its application to autonomous flying robots.

Scholarship Description

This is a 3-year, full-time, salaried PhD position starting 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The selected PhD researcher will work within the FreeFly project, developing energy-harvesting technologies for a bird-like flying robot designed for autonomous inspection of high-voltage power lines.

Key responsibilities include:

• Researching energy harvesting from magnetic fields around high-voltage power lines.
• Designing and analysing novel energy-harvesting systems.
• Contributing to the development of self-sustaining autonomous flying robots.
• Collaborating with PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and other members of the research group.
• Participating in relevant teaching activities.
• Preparing scientific reports, documentation, and publications.

Salary: Approximately DKK 37,313 per month including pension, with the possibility of a higher salary step depending on relevant postgraduate experience.

Required Application Documents

Applicants should prepare:

• Motivated application explaining interest, qualifications, and motivation (maximum 2 pages).
• Detailed CV with contact information, skills, projects, computational experience, teaching experience, etc.
• Bachelor’s and Master’s degree certificates and transcripts.
• Official English translations where applicable.
• Completed TEK PhD application form for 5+3 applicants.
• TEK PhD GPA calculation form.
• Official grading-scale documentation if the degree was obtained outside Denmark.
• Thesis/dissertation assessment where applicable.
• Publication list and up to 2 relevant publications, if available.
• Names and email addresses of up to 3 academic referees.
• Documentation of other relevant qualifications, if applicable.

All documents must be submitted in English and PDF format.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted through the University of Southern Denmark’s official career portal.

The application should include the required documents, with:

• Motivated application: Upload under “Cover letter”
• CV: Upload under “Resume”
• Other supporting documents: Upload under “Miscellaneous documents”

Applicants are advised to review SDU’s PhD admission and application requirements before submitting their application.

Last Date for Apply

20 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST

Note: The job portal information also lists an application deadline of 21 November 2026 at 07:59 AM, so applicants should submit before 20 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST to avoid any deadline ambiguity.

Position Details

Link