About ComARC
ComARC (International Competence Centre for Autonomous, Remotely Operated and Connected Systems) is a new international R&D centre established jointly by VILNIUS TECH and Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), with Fraunhofer FKIE (Germany) acting as a co-founding advisory member.
The Centre will develop dual-use technologies for next-generation autonomous, remotely operated and connected systems operating across air, ground and maritime domains. We are seeking a Principal Scientist (Principal Investigator) to establish and lead one of ComARC's research groups.
The Position
The Principal Scientist will lead an interdisciplinary R&D group of up to 15 researchers working on intelligent autonomous, remotely operated and connected systems. The group will have an indicative three-year research budget of approximately €2.5 million.
Candidates are expected to demonstrate a strong international research track record, scientific leadership and experience in securing competitive research funding.
Potential research areas include electronic and RF systems, embedded systems, AI-enabled autonomy and decision-making, autonomous platform engineering, communication and control systems, multi-agent coordination and swarm intelligence, human–machine teaming, and experimental validation of integrated autonomous systems across air, ground and maritime domains.
The specific research agenda will be refined in consultation with the selected candidate, taking into account their scientific expertise, proposed research directions and the broader objectives of ComARC.
The position is full-time and based at VILNIUS TECH in Vilnius, Lithuania. Responsibilities include defining research priorities, recruiting and leading researchers and doctoral students, overseeing research activities, and developing competitive R&D funding proposals.
The position is available from 1 January 2027, with an initial contract running until August 2029 and the possibility of renewal. Early applications are encouraged, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Eligibility
Applicants must be able to take up employment in Lithuania without a lengthy immigration or work-authorisation process. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens are automatically eligible, as are other candidates who already have the right to work in Lithuania or qualify for simplified employment arrangements under Lithuanian law. Eligibility will be assessed individually.
How to Apply
Please submit a single PDF document (maximum 10 pages) containing your CV and a research portfolio summarising your most significant publications, research projects, leadership roles and experience supervising early-career researchers to ComARC@vilniustech.lt.
All applications will be treated confidentially. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
