Universal Field Robots was founded to bring to market fully-autonomous robots with industrial-scale capabilities.
Vision
To be the most trusted robotics and automation company, accelerating the uptake of robots outdoors and transforming work from tedium to tech, while making workplaces safer. Equipped with cutting-edge sensing and computing technology, our robots are suited for all types of users, from mining to agriculture, construction and more.
Team
We are a dedicated team of mechanical, mechatronics and robotics engineers that has developed software to fully enable autonomous control of all our machines’ functions. We utilise advances in robotic physics simulations to digitally prototype the ideal solution before proceeding to real-world testing.
UFR Director Dush Wimal
With over 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, Dush Wimal has built a career centred on driving operational excellence and innovation in some of the most challenging environments.
Working with large mining technology companies, start-ups, and scale-ups has given Dush a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges that organisations face in today’s fast-paced environment.
His journey has been marked by successful projects and leadership roles that have set new benchmarks in safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Dush Wimal at the UFR Austmine Members Innovation Showcase
The UFR Team
Our team is comprised of mechanical, mechatronics, robotics engineers, software developers, integration and functional safety specialists, industrial designers, and sales and marketing experts who are driven to improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of outdoor work through the use of autonomous field robots.
At UFR, we take pride in our dynamic, cross-disciplinary team, where collaboration drives innovation to solve challenges at the forefront of mining automation. Our team brings diverse expertise and a shared passion for delivering the best results for our customers.
Some of team Universal Field Robots at our HQ in Queensland
Dush Wimal
Director
With over 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, Dush Wimal has built a career centred on driving operational excellence and innovation in some of the most challenging environments.
Before joining UFR in January 2023, Dush worked with large mining technology companies, start-ups, and scale-ups, which has given Dush a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges that organisations face in today’s fast-paced environment.
His journey has been marked by successful projects and leadership roles that have set new benchmarks in safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Ty Osborne
Head of Product Line and R&D
Ty Osborne joined Universal Field Robots as Head of Product Line and R&D in January 2025, following seventeen years with Sandvik in numerous roles, including Automation Specialist, Technical Support Manager - Mine Automation, Product Line Manager - Underground Automation, and Acting Director Global Automation Product Line and Projects.
Tim Cassell
Operations Manager
Tim Cassell has been working with Universal Field Robots since January 2016 in his roles as Robotics Engineer, Lead Robotics Engineer, and currently Operations Manager.
As a design engineer and roboticist, he has worked on a diverse range of exciting research and development projects for the development of autonomous field robots. This has involved integration of cutting-edge sensing and control hardware within the larger robotic control system. It has also involved the design of software for mapping, autonomous navigation and arm control among many other features and developments.
Rhys McKercher
Automation Solutions Architect
Rhys McKercher has been working with Universal Field Robots since December 2017 in his roles as Robotics Engineer, Engineering Project Lead, Innovation Manager and, most recently, Automation Solutions Architect.
This is a rapidly advancing industry, which Rhys is extremely passionate about. Rhys has expertise in applying robotics to real-world applications with a wide skill set, including: machine control, computer vision, deep learning, algorithms, robotic sensing, and high-level behavioural planning.
Ross Clements
Product Manager and Mechanical Engineer
Ross Clements has been working with Universal Field Robots since September 2019 in his roles as Mechanical Engineer, Lead Mechanical Engineer, and now, Product Manager.
Before joining Universal Field Robots, Ross studied Mechanical Engineering at The University of Queensland. Ross was motivated to join the team at UFR, as we are doing a lot of work with emerging technologies related to automation in mining, and it was of high interest to him.
Jessie McVicar
Product Manager and Robotics Engineer
Jessie McVicar has been working with Universal Field Robots since January 2020 in her roles of Robotics Engineer and now Product Manager.
Armed with a Bachelor of Engineering - BE with the Field of Study: Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, and having previously completed an engineering internship at leading global geo-data specialist Fugro, Jessie is well-equipped to assist the UFR team with her robotics and resources industry insights.
Joshua Owen
Software Engineering Manager
Joshua Owen commenced with Universal Field Robots in 2018 as a Robotics Engineer, before being promoted to Software Engineering Manager in 2023.
Graduating from the University of Queensland in 2018 with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics Engineering with First Class Honours, Joshua leads our software engineering team, who enable the autonomous control of all our machines’ functions. The team utilises advances in robotic physics simulations to digitally prototype the ideal solution before proceeding to real-world testing.
Daniel Duskovic
Project Manager and Robotics Software Engineer
Daniel Duskovic has been working with Universal Field Robots since December 2020 in his roles as Undergraduate Engineer, Product Manager, and currently Project Manager and Robotics Software Engineer.
Daniel is a project manager and robotics engineer with 5 years’ experience delivering automation solutions across mining, construction, and defence. With a background in robotics software and business, he has led cross-functional teams to take complex autonomous systems from concept to deployment, combining engineering rigour with a sharp commercial lens. Daniel is passionate about building practical, safety-critical robotics that solve real-world problems and push the boundaries of what's possible.
His career has spanned R&D, product management, and business development, giving him a broad base to drive innovation from multiple angles. Whether it's defining new product strategies, managing stakeholder relationships, or coordinating multidisciplinary delivery teams, Daniel thrives in fast-paced environments where creativity, impact, and execution come together.
Jackson Geritz
Mechatronic Engineering Manager
Kate Dunne
Robotics Engineer
Kate Dunne joined the team at Universal Field Robots in November 2022 as a Robotics Engineer, predominantly focusing on software development. Kate has designed and built multi-agent systems that localise, move, and solve problems.
Kate loves doing cool stuff with cool people and is experienced with C++ and Python in ROS2 ecosystems. She enjoys solving problems and writing code that has a tangible impact on the real world.
Kerry Doherty
Sales and Legal Specialist
As a Sales and Legal Specialist at Universal Field Robots, Kerry Doherty credits his success to embracing new challenges and overcoming obstacles. His diverse background, including professional experience as a lawyer, teacher, comedian, and bartender, has provided Kerry with a unique skillset.
His legal background bolstered his strategic thinking and ability to navigate complex regulations, while his time teaching developed his communication skills and perseverance. As a comedian and bartender, Kerry increased his resilience, ability to think on his feet, and perform under pressure.
Kerry enjoys collaborating with UFR's customers and dedicated team of mechatronics, mechanical, and software engineers to develop cutting-edge OEM-agnostic automation technologies that transform dirty, dull, dangerous, and dear work in mining.
Craig Sayers
Production Unit Controller/Company Secretary
Craig Sayers is the Production Unit Controller and Company Secretary at Universal Field Robots, where he draws on his 25 years’ experience and commercial expertise in finance, accounting, and entrepreneurship to optimise the operational flow of the business, allowing the team to be more productive.
Craig is uniquely skilled in all areas of running an enterprise, with experience ranging from start-ups and scale-ups, through to preparing established businesses for trade sale. His expertise covers three major areas: project, processes, and planning. With a broad range and in-depth understanding of commerce, Craig can quickly identify areas of risk to the business and manage the implementation of successful outcomes.
Nisharn Senewiratne Purssey
Robotics Engineer
Nisharn Purssey started his career with Universal Field Robots as an Undergraduate Engineer in April 2021, before being promoted to a Robotics Engineer in February 2023. In his current role, Nisharn is focused on autonomous systems development, with a special interest in control, navigation, mapping, and deployment of autonomous solutions
Working intensively in automating field robots, Nisharn started with mini-excavators and progressed to extensive work with underground haul trucks. His experience spans the full autonomy stack, including perception, mapping, motion planning, and control systems. He has demonstrated strong results through hands-on field implementation, consistently meeting critical project milestones in obscure and challenging mining environments.
Rui Nakatani
Robotics Engineer
Rui Nakatani started his robotics career with Universal Field Robots in August 2022 as an Undergraduate Engineer before being promoted to Robotics Engineer in July 2023.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Bachelor of IT in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering from Queensland University of Technology.
Xavier Wix
Mechanical Engineer
Xavier Wix commenced as a Mechanical Engineer in January 2023 at Universal Field Robots, where he applies his skills in 3D CAD, CAD, and CAD/CAM to design and develop innovative solutions for various industries and applications.
Graduating from CQUniversity in 2022 with a Bachelor of Engineering and Diploma of Professional Practice in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, Xavier gained hands-on experience in the field. Before joining Universal Field Robots, he worked as a Mechanical Engineer and a Co-op Work Placement Engineer at Fleet Industries, where he contributed to the design, testing, and optimisation of QDS attachments for underground coal.
Xavier is passionate about creating efficient, reliable, and user-friendly robots that can improve productivity, safety, and quality of life. His core competencies include problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and communication.
Harrison Zgrajewski
Mechanical Engineer
Harrison Zgrajewski started working as a Mechanical Engineer at Universal Field Robots in March 2022. Harrison completed a mechanical engineering internship with Kilargo and a Graduate Acoustical Engineer position at ATP Consulting Engineers after graduating from the University of Queensland (UQ) with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 2021.
Harrison was also heavily involved with UQ’s student-run NFP organisation UQ Space between 2018 and 2020 as an Aerostructural Engineer, Aerostructural Engineering Lead, and Technical Director. With a passion for mechanical systems, Harrison is a creative problem solver with experience working in mechanical design and prototyping.
Brett McKillop
Operational Readiness Engineer
Brett McKillop commenced his engineering career with Universal Field Robots in December 2022 as an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineer, before being promoted to Mechanical Engineer in 2023, and Operational Readiness Engineer in 2024.
As our Operational Readiness Engineer, Brett ensures projects, assets, and systems are fully prepared for safe, reliable, and efficient operation before handover. His mechanical engineering experience spans the development of multiple new products designed to undertake specialised tasks safely and efficiently, and is bolstered by a 16-year career as a Diesel Fitter across the mining and construction sectors.
Brett focuses on designing for manufacturability with a continuous improvement mindset, aiming to make the tasks of maintenance personnel safer and more efficient.
Haidar Obeid
Robotics Engineer
Haidar Obeid started as a Robotics Engineer with Universal Field Robots in August 2022 and is armed with a Bachelor of Engineering with honours focused in Mechatronics from Queensland University of Technology with minors in communication and robotics.
Haidar is a strong and experienced engineering professional with a demonstrated history of working in the electrical and electronic manufacturing industries. He is skilled in MATLAB, Solidworks, Python, and C programs.
Jiacheng (Alex) Ni
Front-end Engineer & UI/UX Designer
Alex Ni joined Universal Field Robots as a Front-end Engineer and UI/UX Designer in June 2022. He holds a Master of Engineering in Interaction Design, majoring in UI/UX design, graphic design and front-end development from the University of Queensland, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Shanghai University.
Alex is a passionate "tech-nerd" who places himself at the crossroads of humanities and technology. He enjoys working at pace and embracing emerging technology.
Sean Geles
Robotics Engineer
Sean Geles has been working as a Robotics Engineer at Universal Field Robots since March 2022, after graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Queensland in 2021, and roles as a Summer Intern and Undergraduate Engineer at CSIRO’s Data61.
Sean is a robotics software engineer specialising in automation and is passionate about developing innovative solutions within the robotics space. His expertise lies in creating systems that enhance efficiency and reliability across multiple industries.
Marcus Preece
Mechanical Engineer
Duke Bai
Frontend Developer
Duke Bai joined Universal Field Robots as a Frontend Developer in November 2024 and is armed with a Master of Technology in Information Technology from the University of Queensland and a Bachelor of Engineering in Aircraft Design and Engineering from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Kimberley Randall
Undergraduate Mechatronics Engineer
Kimberley Randall is an Undergraduate Mechatronics Engineer at Universal Field Robots and a Mechatronics and International Business Student at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) with a passion for bridging the gap between people and technology.
Kimberley enjoys bringing together technical engineering expertise with people-first thinking and has worked on multiple real-world mechatronics projects, including robotics and automation in solar farms and mining. Kimberley is currently excited by opportunities in robotics, assistive tech, strategy, or programs that drive innovation with purpose.
Join Our Team
We’re a fast paced, high growth company with a very important mission: to create autonomous field robotics packages that make our clients operations around the globe safer, more efficient, and sustainable.
Our amazing team is a huge part of bringing this mission to reality.
We’re headquartered in sunny Brisbane, Queensland next to our R&D workshop and adjacent to our testing facilities. We offer travel opportunities to our clients' global projects throughout Australia, South America, South Africa and more.
We put people first and offer competitive benefits to support our talented team.
Interested in joining our team?
Upload your CV
Universal Field Robots is always looking for enthusiastic engineers, software developers and business professionals to join our innovative and agile team. If there are no current vacancies listed, please contact us via the form below.
Test Site
In a once quiet spot near the port of Brisbane, our testing facility is a hotbed of robotics activity and autonomous movement.
Find our test site at: 140 Cullen Ave W, Hamilton, QLD 4007, Australia.