Wissenschaftliche/r Mitarbeiter/in

Job posting   The Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) is a pioneer and a driver of bioeconomy research. We create the scientific foundation to transform agricultural, food, industrial and energy systems into a sustainable bio-based circular economy. We develop and integrate techniques, processes and management strategies, effectively converging technologies to intelligently crosslink highly diverse bioeconomic production systems and to control them in a knowledge-based, adaptive and largely automated manner. We conduct research in dialogue with society, policymakers, industry and other stakeholders - knowledge-driven and application-inspired.   To strengthen the Department Data Science in Bioeconomy, we are looking for a   Student Research Assistant (m/f/d) (40-80h per month)

Focus on Edge AI, Model Optimization and Interpretability   We are looking for a motivated and skilled student to join our research team as a Student Research Assistant in the field of Applied Artificial Intelligence for Agricultural Robotics. The position focuses on deploying and optimizing deep learning models for embedded edge devices (NVIDIA Jetson / Xavier) and ensuring model interpretability during field operation.   Your tasks

• Collaborate with researchers to develop optimized AI models for resource-constrained environments
• Implement and test quantization, pruning, and knowledge-distillation methods
• Benchmark latency, energy consumption, and accuracy of detection models on Jetson / Xavier hardware
• Integrate lightweight explainability techniques (e.g., Grad-CAM) for model transparency
• Support experimental design, data annotation, dataset preparation, and performance evaluation
• Write and document experimental results.

Your qualifications

• You are currently enrolled as a student (BSc or MSc) in computer science, data science, electrical or mechanical engineering (or similar)
• Solid knowledge of machine learning and neural networks
• Strong programming skills in Python and frameworks like PyTorch, NumPy, sklearn, etc.
• Interest in embedded systems, edge AI, and efficient deployment
• Excellent written and spoken English skills
• High sense of responsibility, reliability, and ability to work independently.

We offer

• Exciting research tasks in AI for agricultural robotics and model efficiency
• Opportunity to gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art edge hardware
• The possibility to contribute to scientific papers and demonstrators
• Supervision by experienced scientists
• An attractive, research-intensive, and interdisciplinary working environment
• A highly motivated, international team.
• Excellent infrastructure for scientific work
• Flexible working hours and excellent equipment
• Family-friendly and flexible working hours and excellent equipment
• Company-owned e-bikes and cars for business trips
• A workplace at the edge of a picturesque landscape, easily accessible by bike or public transport.   The position is to be filled with 40 to 80 hours per month and is limited to one year. The salary is depending on your degree (14,59 Euros per hour with Bachelor’s degree, 13,98 Euros per hour without degree).   For further information, please contact** Prof. Dr. Marina Höhne (E-Mail: mhoehne@atb-potsdam) and visit our website at www.atb-potsdam.de.   Please apply online by 7th December 2025** including a strong motivation letter demonstrating your suitability for the advertised student research assistant position, a detailed CV, all certificates with grades (A levels and the current transcript of Bachelor and/or Master courses and grades), and any recommendation letters via our application portal (reference number 2025-DS-4): https://www.atb-potsdam.de/en/career/vacancies. Applications received after the application deadline cannot be considered.   The interviews will take place from December 15, 2025 to December 19, 2025.   We are committed to equal opportunities. Applications from severely disabled candidates will be given preference if equally qualified.   By submitting your application, you agree that your documents may be stored for up to six months even in the case of an unsuccessful application. Further information on data protection can be found here: https://www.atb-potsdam.de/en/data-protection-declaration-for-the-application-process.

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