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The Soft Robotics Lab at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, is inviting applications for several doctoral positions. The lab aims to build, model, and control robots in fundamentally new ways to make them more flexible, dexterous, capable, and better adapted to their environment. Research directions include soft and musculoskeletal robotics, biohybrid living systems, dexterous manipulation and robot learning, and simulation for embodied AI. Candidates can shape their thesis topic together with the lab during the first months.

Tasks

  • Take research ideas from concept to working systems, including designing architecture, building, integrating sensing and control, and validating through real-world experiments.
  • If focusing on systems design: design and build robots, mechanisms, compliant structures, actuators, tendon routing, embedded electronics, motor control, and sensor integration; own a system from CAD through fabrication to long-term hardware operation.
  • If focusing on learning: develop policies and perception for real, compliant, contact-rich hardware, including imitation learning, reinforcement learning, sim-to-real transfer, and multimodal representations; help define measurable benchmarks.
  • Engage in rapid prototyping, measurement, and iteration in every project cycle.
  • Draw inspiration from biological musculoskeletal systems to engineer bones, joints, tendons, and muscles with compliant materials, artificial actuators, or living tissue.
  • Build robots that achieve adaptive behavior through embodiment, reducing reliance on complex centralized control.
  • If focusing on biohybrid systems: work in biological laboratories, culture and bioprint tissue, and turn it into controllable actuators.
  • Publish at top venues, release open-source hardware and code, and present work internationally.
  • Supervise semester and Master's projects and collaborate across hardware, muscles, and machine learning teams.
  • Complete a doctorate at ETH Zurich, including D-MAVT doctoral programme coursework and a share of teaching.

Requirements

  • Curious, highly motivated, and independent, with a desire to make a real difference through research.
  • Strong team player, respectful, and thrives in collaborative environments.
  • Completed or nearly completed Master's degree in mechanical engineering, robotics, mechatronics, electrical engineering, computer science, materials science, bioengineering, or a closely related field.
  • Depth in at least one of the following: hands-on system building and mechatronics (CAD, FEA, 3D printing, machining, molding, electronics, motor control, robot integration), machine learning and control for real robots, soft or bio-inspired materials and actuators, tissue engineering and biofabrication, or physics-based simulation.
  • Evidence of carrying work through to reality, such as a thesis, semester project, competition team, or internship resulting in real hardware outcomes.
  • Substantial project or thesis work available for review, and ideally a publication or preprint (not required).
  • Strong written and spoken English, with the ability to explain work clearly.
  • Motivation for interdisciplinary, experimental research and curiosity to develop new skills during the doctorate.
  • Collaborative, supportive mindset and drive to make a real difference with research.
  • A clear idea of desired research direction and its significance.

Benefits

  • Supervision with weekly one-on-one meetings, a lab in one space, and co-supervision from senior doctoral students and postdocs.
  • Conference travel budget to present work at venues such as ICRA, IROS, CoRL, RSS, RoboSoft, and more.
  • World-class lab with state-of-the-art fabrication and test facilities: in-house multi-material 3D printing, machine shop, electronics lab, biological laboratories, over 20 dexterous robotic hands, 12 robot arms, high-resolution tactile skins, and a dedicated GPU cluster with eight NVIDIA H200 GPUs, plus access to ETH's central compute and the Alps supercomputer at CSCS.
  • Multidisciplinary team of mechanical engineers, materials scientists, biologists, and machine learning researchers, embedded in the broader robotics ecosystem at ETH Zurich.
  • Strong ties to industry and spin-offs, with support for translating research into real-world impact.
  • Professional development and contribution to positive societal change as part of ETH Zurich.
  • Benefits including public transport season tickets, car sharing, a wide range of sports via ASVZ, childcare, and attractive pension benefits.
  • Fully funded doctoral position with a highly competitive ETH Zurich doctoral salary rate, salaried employment contract with full social benefits.
  • Initial contract of 18 months, extended annually.
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Über uns
Die ETH Zürich ist eine technisch-naturwissenschaftliche Hochschule des Bundes mit Sitz in Zürich. Wir betreiben Lehre, Forschung und Wissenstransfer in Bereichen wie Ingenieurwissenschaften, Naturwissenschaften, Architektur, Mathematik, Informatik, Management sowie Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften. Unsere Ausbildung umfasst Bachelor-, Master-, Doktorats- und Weiterbildungsangebote und ist eng mit internationaler Spitzenforschung verbunden. Als Teil des ETH-Bereichs entwickeln wir wissenschaftliche Grundlagen, Technologien und Lösungen für Gesellschaft, Wirtschaft und globale Herausforderungen.
Das Team

The Soft Robotics Lab is a multidisciplinary team of mechanical engineers, materials scientists, biologists, and machine learning researchers, working closely together in a collaborative environment. The lab emphasizes co-supervision, teamwork, and daily collaboration across hardware, muscles, and machine learning teams.

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