Research Assistant

The Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering is currently looking for a Research Assistant (reporting to Dr. Dongkun HAN) in the related areas of electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering to work on an AI-powered education project integrating MATLAB/Simulink and real-time Hardware in the Loop (HIL) power system simulation (e.g., RT Lab/OPAL RT or RTDS) for experiential sustainability learning.

Applicants should have (i) a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent disciplines; (ii) proven hands on experience with MATLAB/Simulink and real time HIL power system simulation using RT Lab (OPAL RT) or RTDS, including model preparation and deployment to real time targets, I/O mapping, fixed time step configuration, hardware interfacing (sensors/DAQ/communication), test procedure design, and safe construction/operation of similar hardware experiential platforms; (iii) a good command of English and Chinese; (iv) strong communication skills; (v) strong interests in AI in education; and (vi) knowledge and experience in machine learning, User Interface design and website development would be preferred.

The appointee will be responsible for (a) developing, deploying, and maintaining MATLAB/Simulink models and real time HIL experiments on RT Lab/OPAL RT or RTDS for power/energy systems; (b) constructing and documenting the HIL experimental platform (e.g., hardware wiring, instrumentation, protection/safety interlocks, SOPs) and ensuring reliable operation during teaching labs; (c) developing or implementing AI/ML algorithms (including adaptive recommendation/prediction) to categorize students’ learning levels and provide personalized materials; (d) working with professors and student helpers to develop the related website, dashboards, and courseware, and to support in class/lab sessions; (e) building a system to promote appropriate learning materials to students with a proper learning level and integrating data pipelines for learning analytics; and (f) performing other tasks as assigned. The appointee will work in the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering.

Appointment will initially be made on contact basis for one year, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and mutual agreement.

Applicants should submit a CV and other relevant documents, such as transcripts and published papers, in the online application.

The University only accepts and considers applications submitted online for the post above via the CUHK career site. For more information and to apply online, please visit