Assistant/Associate Professor in Computer Vision & Robotics | MBZUAI

Job Description

The Computer Vision and Robotics Area within the Division of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) invites applications for Assistant Professor and Associate Professor faculty positions in Computer Vision and Robotics, with a focus on Embodied Perception.

The position is aimed at researchers whose work advances the ability of embodied AI systems to perceive, learn, and interact with their environments, with demonstrated experience evaluating these systems on physical robotic platforms.

Employer: Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
Division: Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Area: Computer Vision and Robotics
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Academic Rank: Assistant Professor / Associate Professor
Field: Computer Vision / Robotics / Embodied AI
Open Date: 9 October 2026
Application Deadline: 30 June 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Computer Vision Robotics Professor – Position Overview

MBZUAI is seeking faculty whose research focuses on areas such as:

• Embodied perception.
• Robot learning.
• World models.
• Computer vision.
• Robotics.
• Embodied AI.
• Learning-based robotic systems.

The successful candidate will contribute to research, teaching, student mentoring, curriculum development, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Embodied Perception

A central focus of the position is advancing AI systems capable of understanding and interacting with the physical world.

Relevant research may include:

• Visual perception for robotics.
• Multimodal perception.
• Sensor-based environmental understanding.
• Spatial reasoning.
• Perception-action integration.
• Learning from interaction.
• Embodied intelligence.

Candidates should demonstrate research that connects perception with real-world robotic behaviour.

Robot Learning

The role also has a strong emphasis on robot learning.

Relevant research directions may include:

• Learning-based control.
• Reinforcement learning for robotics.
• Imitation learning.
• Adaptive robotic systems.
• Learning from demonstrations.
• Interactive learning.
• Autonomous decision-making.

World Models

Applicants working on world models are particularly relevant to the advertised research focus.

This may involve research on systems that learn internal representations of environments to support:

• Prediction.
• Planning.
• Decision-making.
• Simulation.
• Robotic interaction.

Physical Robotic Platforms

Candidates should have demonstrated experience evaluating AI systems on physical robotic platforms.

This requirement highlights the position’s emphasis on practical embodied AI rather than purely simulated research.

Research Expectations

Applicants should demonstrate excellence in:

• Innovative research.
• Impactful research.
• Computer Vision.
• Robotics.
• Embodied AI.
• Related AI disciplines.

The successful candidate will have opportunities to collaborate with leading AI researchers and contribute to MBZUAI’s broader research ecosystem.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

MBZUAI encourages interdisciplinary research across AI and related fields.

Faculty members may collaborate with:

• AI researchers.
• Robotics researchers.
• Computer Vision researchers.
• Industry partners.
• Government agencies.
• Research institutions.

These collaborations are intended to support AI-driven solutions to real-world challenges.

Teaching Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Delivering high-quality instruction.
• Contributing to curriculum development.
• Supporting the academic development of students.

Student Mentoring

Applicants should demonstrate a strong commitment to:

• Mentoring students.
• Supporting student research.
• Developing future AI researchers.
• Contributing to a collaborative academic environment.

Required Qualification

Applicants must hold a:

• PhD in Robotics or a related field in Computer Science or Engineering.

Research Requirement

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Excellence in innovative research.
• Excellence in impactful research.
• A strong research profile relevant to Computer Vision, Robotics, Embodied AI, or related areas.

Mentoring Requirement

Applicants should demonstrate:

• A strong passion for mentoring students.

Why Join MBZUAI?

MBZUAI offers an environment designed to support advanced AI research and academic development.

The University highlights:

• Competitive compensation aligned with leading global academic institutions.
• Research funding and academic freedom.
• Resources for groundbreaking AI research.
• Comprehensive health insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Relocation support for international faculty.
• Access to advanced AI laboratories.
• High-performance computing.
• Opportunities to work with industry partners.
• Government collaboration.
• Engagement with leading AI researchers.

Research Infrastructure

Faculty members can benefit from MBZUAI’s investment in:

• State-of-the-art AI laboratories.
• High-performance computing.
• Advanced research infrastructure.
• Resources supporting independent inquiry and innovation.

Industry and Government Collaboration

The position offers opportunities to collaborate with:

• Technology companies.
• Government agencies.
• Policymakers.
• Research institutions.
• Other AI researchers.

These relationships support the translation of AI research into practical real-world applications.

Recommended Professional Development

🎓 Recommended Course: Machine Learning Specialization

This position has a strong connection to machine learning, embodied AI, robot learning, perception, and intelligent autonomous systems.

The Machine Learning Specialization from DeepLearning.AI and Stanford Online provides structured training in machine-learning methods that underpin many contemporary approaches in Computer Vision and Robotics.

It may be particularly relevant to robotics researchers, Computer Vision academics, doctoral candidates, AI engineers, and researchers working on learning-based autonomous systems.

👉 Explore the Machine Learning Specialization on Coursera

Affiliate disclosure: Arab Academic Jobs may receive a commission if you enroll through this link, at no additional cost to you.

Application Requirements

Applicants should submit:

• Cover Letter.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Research statement.
• Teaching statement.
• List of key publications.
• Google Scholar H-Index.
• Links to 3–5 papers that best represent the applicant’s research.
• Reference letters, or names and contact details for three referees.

Referees will be contacted during the recruitment process to upload their reference letters through Interfolio.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by:

30 June 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Job Summary

Employer	Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
Division	Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Area	Computer Vision and Robotics
Location	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Position	Faculty Position in Computer Vision & Robotics – Embodied Perception
Academic Rank	Assistant Professor / Associate Professor
Field	Computer Vision / Robotics / Embodied AI
Research Focus	Embodied Perception, Robot Learning, World Models
Required Qualification	PhD in Robotics or related field in Computer Science or Engineering
Research Requirement	Demonstrated excellence in innovative and impactful research
Practical Research Requirement	Experience evaluating systems on physical robotic platforms
Teaching Requirement	High-quality instruction and curriculum development
Mentoring Requirement	Strong commitment to student mentoring
Open Date	9 October 2026
Application Materials	Cover letter, CV, research and teaching statements, key publications, H-Index, 3–5 paper links, references
Application Deadline	30 June 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time