Join Us
If you are an outstanding student with a strong interest in research, you are welcome to contact Dr. Keyvan Hashtrudi-Zaad via email to express your interest. When reaching out, please include your CV and academic transcripts. Please note that, due to the high volume of inquiries, only applicants being seriously considered for a position will receive a response.
Prospective graduate students are also strongly encouraged to apply early for competitive scholarship opportunities such as NSERC, OGS, and other major funding programs.
Current Available Positions
Please review the available graduate positions carefully, and ensure you read and follow all application instructions accurately when applying.
The Interactive Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS) Laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Queen’s University is looking for a doctoral student in robotics for September 2026.
The IRIS lab conducts research in rehabilitation robotics, haptics, telerobotics, and autonomous systems. Candidates with a master’s degree in engineering (ECE, BIOMED, MECHATRONICS) with strong academic background (GPA>85%) and research track record (published work) are encouraged to apply.
Required Expertise: Robotics, control systems AND machine learning
Favored Expertise/skills: Haptics and telerobotics; Hands-on experience with mechanical and electronic hardware, as well as computing systems.
The research will take place at the IRIS Laboratory and Queen’s Ingenuity Lab Research Institute. The position is competitive and is funded with an annual stipend of ~C$29,000.
Application is open to international and domestic students. Priority is given to domestic applicants. IRIS Lab is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from equity deserving groups.
With the advent of faster processing power, lower cost of electronics, and push for commercial head-mounted displays, virtual reality (VR) is becoming a reality and truly a formidable technological and market-driven force in revolutionizing the way we interact with machines and each other.
Haptics is a mechanical simulation technology that enables kinesthetic interaction with computer-generated objects in VR through an actuated hand-held mechanisms, known as a haptic interface. Emerging applications include robotic rehabilitation, collaborative training for surgery sonography, or dentistry, or for gaming in a shared virtual environment.
Haptic systems are designed with the promise of bringing a true sense of manipulation or collaboration to users. However, there are challenges at the actuation level that limits their use. Haptic interfaces are primarily actuated in direct drive or with low transmission ratio. Therefore, they often cannot output human-level forces. In addition, haptic actuators are expected to deliver high torque at low speeds, which substantially reduces their efficiency and exposes them to significant stress and wear.
In this exciting project, we plan to develop integrated mechanical/electronic hardware and software technologies to convert certain DC motors and stepper motors into haptic actuators with high output torque. The project will be co-supervised by Dr. Keyvan Hashtrudi-Zaad and Dr. Majid Pahlevani from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Queen’s University. The research will be conducted at the Interactive Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS) Laboratory and Centre for Energy and Power Electronics Research (ePOWER).
Candidates with strong academic background (GPA>85%) and
BASc degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) or Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering (MRE)
invitation to the ECE 4+1 Accelerated Master’s program
are encouraged to apply.
Required Expertise/Skills: Hands-on-electronics, motors and drives; Power electronics
Favored Expertise/Skills: Robotics; Control systems; CAD design
The position is competitive and is funded with an annual stipend of ~C$27,000. Application is open to domestic students in Canada. IRIS Lab and ePOWER are committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from equity deserving groups.
Apply: Please send a digital copy of your transcripts and CV to Dr. Keyvan Hashtrudi-Zaad at khz@queensu.ca. Use the subject line “Mechatronics Position for September 2026”.