The National Industry PhD Program is an Australian Government initiative to enhance workforce mobility among graduate researchers, and to promote knowledge transfer between academia and industries across all areas. PhD candidates under this program are connected with academic supervisors and industry-based researchers, to co-design innovative, applied research projects. Through their doctoral candidature, students will experience research in both university and industry settings, and undertake specialised training in research translation and commercialisation.

The University of Adelaide and Lockheed Martin Australia invite applications for a project under this program, advancing robotic perception systems through monitoring of their machine learning models.

Run-Time Monitoring of Machine Learning for Robotic and Autonomous Perception 

This project aims to make robotic perception systems safer and more reliable by developing new techniques that continuously monitor the performance of their machine learning models (i.e. keeping an eye on the system’s "brain" to quickly spot when it starts to struggle or behave unexpectedly).

Our goal is to create tools that continuously evaluate the performance of these models and quickly detect any decline or unexpected behaviour. The system will be designed to recognise when it encounters unfamiliar conditions—whether these involve unusual appearances, shapes, or spatial relationships of objects—and to indicate when it is unsure about its input.

Key expected outcomes include the creation of monitoring algorithms that identify early signs of performance issues, and the development of predictive models to anticipate potential failures. Additionally, the project will facilitate the transfer of this technology to industry, while also advancing academic knowledge through publications and presentations at leading conferences.

This project will be undertaken in collaboration with Dr Feras Dayoub of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, and Advanced Systems & Technologies, Lockheed Martin Australia. The student will co-located at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning at the University of Adelaide and at Lockheed Martin offices.

Eligibility Requirements

This opportunity is open to Australian citizens who can meet the requirements for PhD admission at the University of Adelaide (including English language proficiency in the relevant academic area), and who can demonstrate suitable experience in computer science, machine learning, robotic vision, or a related field (through a high-quality Honours or Masters degree). The successful candidate must be able to enrol as a full-time PhD student at the University in the year of the offer. They must remain based in Adelaide, South Australia for the duration of the award.

The ideal candidate should have a foundational knowledge of machine learning as well as a basic understanding of robotic perception systems. Essential skills include proficiency in programming languages such as Python and C++, and some experience with machine learning frameworks like PyTorch. The candidate should demonstrate strong analytical abilities, an eagerness to learn and solve complex problems, and possess effective collaboration skills.

Application Process

To apply, please email the following documents to principal supervisor Dr Feras Dayoub (feras.dayoub@adelaide.edu.au) and Jessica Cortazzo, Manager, Projects and Strategic Partnerships (AIML), (jessica.cortazzo@adelaide.edu.au) with the subject line ‘National Industry PhD Program application’:

• CV
• Cover Letter (of not more than 2 pages) outlining your interest in the PhD project and describing how your background and research area align with the project
• Degree certificates and relevant academic transcripts, with translations of non-English documentation

Applications close on 10 November 2025. Please note that applications will be shortlisted on a rolling basis, and the scholarship advertisement may be withdrawn early if a suitable candidate is identified.

Enquiries

For enquiries about this opportunity please contact Dr Feras Dayoub: feras.dayoub@adelaide.edu.au

For general enquiries about the National Industry PhD Program please contact the Adelaide Graduate Research School: hdrindustryenq@adelaide.edu.au