ETH Zürich, Switzerland invites online application for multiple fully funded PhD Programs in various research areas. Candidates interested in fully funded PhD positions can check the details and may apply as soon as possible.
1. PhD Programs in Modeling Entrainment Mechanisms in Alpine Mass Movements
Summary of PhD Positions:
In this thesis, you will work with a coupled CFD-DEM model to investigate entrainment mechanisms in alpine mass movements. One important objective will be to decipher the influence of the saturation degree of the bed material on entrainment rates and ultimately on the flow mobility. Results will be implemented in a depth-averaged model evaluated based on the simulation of documented events. You will publish your results in scientific journals, present them at international conferences and contribute to teaching at ETH Zurich.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
2. PhD Programs in Respiratory dysfunction – mechanisms and influence on performance and quality of life
Summary of PhD Positions:
In this project, you design studies that include both experimental investigations in the laboratory and telemonitored training. The aim is to improve respiratory regulation and performance reduction as a result of COVID-19 disease, and to better understand changes in the respiratory muscles that occur in intensive care patients using various interventions in healthy people. You will work independently and in a team and also assume responsibility for the training of Master’s students in the laboratory. You present your results at meetings and conferences and publish them in international journals.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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3. Three PhD Programs in alpine sediment research
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are looking for 3 PhD students (2 at ETH Zurich and 1 at the University of Bern) to start on 1 April 2023 on a 4-year research project funded by the SNF in the areas:
PhD 1: Sediment sources and connectivity analysis. This PhD student will be mapping potential sediment sources in the Alpine Rhine, researching structural and functional connectivity metrics, and exploring relations between sediment concentrations, and basin and climatic inputs by deep learning data-driven methods. Earth sciences background, GIS, and experience working with large data sets are required.
PhD 2: Process-based hydrology-sediment modelling. This PhD student will be working with our new coupled hydrology-sediment model, making fine sediment load observations in small basins to calibrate the model, adding new model components, and simulating source-to-sink pathways by tracing the sources with sediment fingerprints. Environmental engineering background, numerical methods knowledge, and excellent coding skills are required.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
4. PhD Programs in Large-Scale Robotic 3D Printing of Facades
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are looking for you – a talented and motivated architect, designer, or engineer with design and research experience and outstanding skills in computational design, 3D printing, and robotic fabrication, as well as an interest in hardware development. We expect programming experience (e.g. Python or C#) and hands-on experience with tool development, polymer 3D printing, as well as architectural skills. You must enjoy research through coding, physical prototyping, and design.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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5. PhD Programs in Volcano Seismology
Summary of PhD Positions:
You will focus on applying various analysis and modelling techniques to constrain the three-dimensional seismological structure beneath Kīlauea (from the mantle to the crust) using data recorded by a large-N nodal experiment, which the student will help deploy. Furthermore, you will improve the current state of the art of tomographic imaging by designing and implementing a joint inversion scheme for multiple seismic data types (body-wave, ambient noise, receiver function and active source seismology).
As part of a highly interdisciplinary team of Earth scientists, you will have the opportunity to be involved in statistical analyses of earthquake catalogues, and seismicity-based stress change modelling to advance our understanding of how melt moves and provide insights into the stress distribution in the Earth’s crust too, in turn, inform hazard scenarios.
Application Deadlines: January 20th 2022
6. PhD Programs in Large-Scale Robotic 3D Concrete Printing
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are looking for a talented and motivated architect, designer, or engineer with proven design and research experience. Your profile requires outstanding skills in computational design, 3D printing, and robotic fabrication, as well as an interest in hardware development. We expect programming experience (e.g. Python or C#) and hands-on experience with tool development. You must enjoy research through coding, physical prototyping, and architectural design.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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7. PhD Programs in Artificial Intelligence and People Analytics
Summary of PhD Positions:
Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have enabled algorithms to undertake tasks that previously required human judgement and decision. This project aims to advance understanding of how organizations can integrate fast, accurate and low-cost predictions provided by AI into strategic functions in order to enhance productivity, reduce coordination costs and improve knowledge sharing.
Application Deadlines: January 31, 2023
8. PhD Programs in Electronic Design Automation and Reconfigurable Computing
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are interested in developing a broad scope of techniques to ease the programmability of digital hardware (e.g., reconfigurable devices such as FPGAs). Our goal is to bridge the gap between software and hardware by developing language abstractions, compiler flows, and hardware devices that enable software developers from different domains to accelerate emerging compute-intensive applications.
We are looking for creative and highly motivated researchers to join our team. Each new group member can choose a research direction according to their background and our mutual research interests. Apart from actively shaping our group’s research, the PhD positions include international collaborations with academia and industry, mentoring BSc and MSc students, and teaching activities in the areas of electronic design automation, reconfigurable computing, and embedded systems.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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9. PhD Programs in Follicular Endocrinology during Personalised Ovarian Stimulation (PROSPECT-study)
Summary of PhD Positions:
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is routinely applied in fertility clinics across the world for couples facing fertility problems. Although IVF success rates have considerably improved in the last decade, there is still an urgent need to further improve hormonal stimulation protocols. Ovarian follicle stimulation is an important step within the IFV procedure and aims to harvest mature eggs for in vitro fertilisation. There is a wide range of individual responses to the stimulation protocol posing a major challenge to fertility experts. To date, neither underlying mechanistic causes of the heterogeneous responses nor predictive biomarkers are known resulting in premature discontinuation of treatment.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
10. PhD Programs in Ovarian Follicle Growth Dynamics
Summary of PhD Positions:
Ultrasound technologies are routinely used both in fertility clinics and in veterinary diagnostics. More recent 3D and 4D approaches coupled with colored doppler ultrasonography applications including colored Power doppler for blood flow estimation in small vessels are developing. Human and bovine follicle maturation processes largely share similarities. Using cattle as model for human follicle growth dynamics, the goal of this interdisciplinary project is to improve the outcome of ovarian hormonal stimulation.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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11. PhD Programs in ETonFARM – Non-surgical porcine embryo transfer
Summary of PhD Positions:
The study partially funded by Federal Agency for Agriculture (Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft, BLW) comprises a cooperation approach between ETH Zurich, SUISAG (Swiss pig farming industry) and Minitube (a world-wide leading supplier of systems for the field of assisted animal reproduction) in which we will develop an automatable warming system for vitrified embryos as well as a non-surgical ET procedure performed at the site of the recipient female on-farm.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
12. PhD Programs in Aerosol technologies for bioaerosol sampling, detection and risk management
Summary of PhD Positions:
The research is related to the development of aerosol technologies for bioaerosol sampling, detection and risk management. Bioaerosols, including airborne bacteria, viruses, fungi, and fragments of these organisms pose risks to humans. Even minute amounts of inhaled bioaerosols may cause adverse health impacts such as infectious diseases, allergic diseases, and reactions to toxins or irritants.
Emerging hazardous components such as antibiotic resistance genes and metal resistance genes highlight the evolving risks due to bioaerosols. Our group is engaged in the development of various sensors targeting biological pollutants, which have strong synergy with aerosol technologies for bioaerosol sampling, detection and control.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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13. PhD Programs in Multiphase Modeling of Alpine Mass Movements and Process Cascades
Summary of PhD Positions:
In this PhD work, you develop a multi-phase material point method (MPM) for alpine mass movements and cascading processes. In a first step, you implement of a two-phase hydromechanical MPM in which solid and fluid phases. Then, a heat energy balance equation will be introduced including friction heat dissipation and phase changes. The model will be evaluated based on benchmark tests and then applied to real-case scenarios such as the 2017 Piz Cengalo rockslide or the 2021 Chamoli disaster. You will publish your results in scientific journals, present them at international conferences and contribute to teaching at ETH Zurich.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
14. PhD Programs in Computational Science
Summary of PhD Positions:
The positions involve research in the broad field of Computational Science at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. You will develop and implement computational methods to solve challenging scientific and engineering problems in areas ranging from cosmology, earth sciences and aerodynamics, to social, financial and life sciences. Areas of research in computing include numerical methods, high-performance computing, machine learning, big data analytics, imaging and quantum computing.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
15. PhD Programs in Climate Dynamics
Summary of PhD Positions:
As a PhD student in the Climate Dynamics group, you will work collaboratively over 3+ years to define the main research direction of your PhD thesis. We have project ideas on topics such as persistent atmospheric circulation regimes and their role in extreme weather, storm-resolving climate modeling, the ocean’s role in climate variability and change, tropical climate change, and statistical and machine learning methods to identify the pattern of climate response to forcing, however, you are encouraged to bring your own expertise and pursue research in areas outside of but complimentary to these topics.
Application Deadlines: 16th of January 2023
16. PhD Programs in emerging black soldier fly biowaste processing
Summary of PhD Positions:
You are expected to explore heterogeneous and dynamic rearing conditions resulting in the optimization of higher-value products, for example, melanin, chitin or lauric acid. The objective is to develop a dynamic growth model that predicts rearing conditions for optimal waste treatment and production of high-value products.
Ultimately, the findings are expected to increase the understanding of this novel process and aid the development of practical tools. The research will be completed within the collaboration on black soldier fly research by ETH Zurich, Eawag and the Singapore-ETH Centre. The project background should be seen as a broad framework that can be detailed and altered based on the applicant’s background and interest.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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17. PhD Programs in ecosystem gas exchange and nitrogen dynamics
Summary of PhD Positions:
The doctoral project is part of the interdisciplinary project Understanding drivers and origins of N2O fluxes in agroecosystems (DONA) carried out with colleagues from Agroscope in Switzerland. The project aims at understanding drivers and origins of nitrous oxide losses to the atmosphere, and quantifying nitrate leaching in arable and grassland systems, in order to identify the best N management option(s) for climate-smart agriculture at an integrated farm in Switzerland.
Application Deadlines: January 2023
18. PhD Programs in MRI Methodology
Summary of PhD Positions:
The aim of this position is to strengthen pioneering efforts in MRI of tissues and tissue components with very short-lived resonance signals. Current advances in this area promise to expand the scope of MRI to solid tissues and macromolecules to which it has traditionally been blind, such as myelin or collagen.
Gaining noninvasive access to these tissues has the potential to improve the quality of medical treatment for a range of diseases including multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis. The activity addresses the full breadth of this challenge, ranging from physical principles and novel instrumentation to strategies for image encoding and reconstruction strategies as well as applications in basic research and medicine.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
19. PhD Programs in geo-energies modelling and experimental work within the EU SMILE project
Summary of PhD Positions:
To develop an experimentally based study of the complex interaction between reactive pore fluids and rock matrix, in typical caprocks and reservoir rocks. Data will be collected both in a laboratory and in situ at ongoing pilot projects (e.g., at the Mont Terri and Bedretto Underground Labs, as well as at the islandic CO2 storage facility). The aim is to provide a link between relevant mechanical/hydraulic parameters and fluid-rock interaction. Experiments will be also tailed to link the characteristics of the rocks to seismic/aseismic slip, addressing the induced seismicity issue.
Application Deadlines: January 31, 2023
20. PhD Programs in ultrafast dynamics of Mott insulators
Summary of PhD Positions:
Our goal is to characterize the resulting low resistivity phase as well as the nature of the ultrafast transition leading to it, using a combination of ultrafast spectroscopy techniques in the THz, mid-infrared and x-ray frequency ranges. This project will be based in Prof. Steven Johnson’s Ultrafast Dynamics Group at ETH Zürich and conducted under Dr Elsa Abreu’s leadership. X-ray measurements will take place at large-scale facilities both in Switzerland and abroad.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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21. PhD Programs in Digital Health Technologies for Remote and Unsupervised Rehabilitation
Summary of PhD Positions:
The RELab strongly focuses on developing and clinically applying robotic and sensor-based technologies for unsupervised and remote rehabilitation. However, this therapy setup raises important challenges, for example, in terms of motivation to train and monitoring of the progress.
Therefore, this project aims to develop and implement a novel smartphone-based digital platform to support remote and unsupervised rehabilitation and to test it in different neurological populations. This project will use MobileCoach, an open-source software platform for behavioural digital health interventions developed by the CHDI, which was already successfully applied for digital interventions in other populations.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
22. Two PhD Programs in Dairy Nutrition
Summary of PhD Positions:
The Niu Lab at ETH Zurich is seeking a motivated, team-oriented individual with a strong interest in the interface of basic and applied research in agricultural and animal nutrition sciences to enhance understanding of nutrient utilization efficiency and improve the sustainability of livestock systems.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
23. Two PhD Programs in History and Theory of Architecture
Summary of PhD Positions:
The two fully-funded fellowship positions are open for research in any area of history and theory of architecture and urbanism, and we welcome innovative proposals across geographies, methodologies, and time periods. GTA Fellows will have freedom to determine the content of their doctoral research and are not required to conform to the research interests of any particular research group. In the third year of the program, GTA Fellows may optionally teach a seminar on a topic of their choosing related to the dissertation.
Application Deadlines: February 15th 2023
24. Two PhD Programs in history and theory of architecture
Summary of PhD Positions:
The two fully funded fellowship positions are open to research in all areas of the history and theory of architecture and urbanism, and we welcome innovative proposals across methods, regions and time periods. The gta scholarship holders are free to determine the content of their doctoral thesis and are not obliged to orientate themselves towards the research interests of a specific research group.
Application Deadlines: February 15, 2023
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25. PhD Programs in Development and application of deep learning-based super-resolution X-ray imaging
Summary of PhD Positions:
This PhD project is carried out in close collaboration with machine learning researchers from the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC Hub at PSI) and aims at developing a fundamentally different approach in X-ray imaging with the aim to improve the imaging resolution, and hence both diagnostics and survival in lung diseases.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
26. PhD Programs in Molecular Biology & Biophysics
Summary of PhD Positions:
The Wieczorek Lab at the Institute of Molecular Biology & Biophysics at ETH Zurich investigates the physical principles underlying the self-assembly of complex intracellular structures from biomolecules. The group uses the microtubule cytoskeleton as a model system. We apply state-of-the-art methods in structural biology, in vitro biochemical reconstitutions, and single molecule biophysics to understand how diverse multi-microtubule assemblies form from a common tubulin “building block”. The results of our work are important for understanding the molecular basis of diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration, which are often directly linked to defects in microtubule network assembly.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
27. PhD Programs in ultrafast dynamics of solids
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to investigate the optical properties of materials which are undergoing periodic modulations of atomic and/or magnetic structure. The goal is to study several regimes of light-phonon and light-magnon interaction and their potential applications for photonic and material control. Part of the research is done using pump-probe THz spectroscopy, and part using time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy.
This project will be based in Prof. Steven Johnson’s Ultrafast Dynamics Group at ETH Zürich, and will also involve significant interaction with personnel at the Paul Scherrer Institute. X-ray measurements will take place at large-scale facilities both in Switzerland and abroad.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
28. Three PhD Programs in Architecture and Technology
Summary of PhD Positions:
The A&T Doctoral Programme is ETH Zurich’s interdisciplinary educational platform committed to training scholars in research and teaching of technology in architecture. The programme is offered and managed collaboratively by the chairs of the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA). The work of the ITA chairs assimilates many diverse aspects of employing science, technology and engineering in architecture, including computational design of buildings and structures, building processes and systems, digital and robotic construction and fabrication, and many others.
Application Deadlines: January 31, 2023
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29. PhD Programs in Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion
Summary of PhD Positions:
Our group studies fundamental processes in solutions, materials, and at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces using a combination of various in-situ and ex-situ characterization techniques coupled with detailed electrochemical studies. We then apply this fundamental knowledge to the design of new battery materials, electrocatalysts, and electrolytes that can deliver improved performance (i.e., charging times, energy, capacity, cycling stability), cost, efficiency, and safety.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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30. PhD Programs in plant water relations in urban environments
Summary of PhD Positions:
The doctoral project is part of an interdisciplinary project on Feedback between vegetation, carbon, energy, and water cycles in the urban environment (UrbaNature). Within the framework of Switzerland’s Global Climate Observing System and Global Atmosphere Watch programmes, UrbaNature aims to create new knowledge and develop methodologies for observing and simulating the role of vegetation in carbon, energy, and water cycles in the urban environment. Together with colleagues from the University of Basel, the University of Zurich as well as Empa, four doctoral students will collaborate closely, co-supervised by one other leading scientist from the UrbaNature consortium.
Application Deadlines: January 10th 2023
31. PhD Programs in Development of sensors for airborne pollutants
Summary of PhD Positions:
The research is related to the development of sensors for airborne pollutants. Detection of pollutants plays critical roles in environmental protection, safeguarding human health and societal welfare, limiting contamination, and enhancing production yield in industries. Our group is engaged in the development of various optical and electrochemical sensors targeting gaseous and biological pollutants.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
32. PhD Programs in Systems or Hardware Security
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are interested in a variety of hot topics in the area of systems security with a special focus on hardware. The aim of the group is to improve the security of modern computer systems. To do that, we often build novel analysis techniques to uncover previously-unknown attack surfaces and when appropriate we design and implement new systems to protect against various classes of attacks. This means that the group does heavy technical work, from building low-level systems to analyzing hardware components. Examples of our research topics include hardware design security, microarchitectural security, and operating system security to name a few.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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33. PhD Programs in multiphase fluid dynamics: cavitation bioeffects
Summary of PhD Positions:
The research in the newly established Multiphase Fluid Dynamics group examines both fundamental and applied questions in various small-scale multiphase fluid phenomena, such as bubble and droplet dynamics and the resulting fast flows. One of our key objectives is to control bubble oscillations to exploit their energy-focusing characteristics in biomedical applications. We also develop experimental techniques to observe and characterise high-speed multiphase fluid phenomena optically and acoustically. The group is part of the Institute of Fluid Dynamics, which pursues a broad range of experimental, numerical and theoretical research efforts in a friendly and inclusive environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
34. PhD Programs in Human-Centered Security & Privacy Research
Summary of PhD Positions:
We are interested in designing, implementing and evaluating human-centred security solutions and addressing human factors in upcoming IT security-related challenges. To do so, we conduct qualitative as well as quantitative empirical user studies, design interfaces and implement technical security solutions.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
35. PhD Programs in Machine Learning for Mental Healthy Longevity
Summary of PhD Positions:
As a PhD student, you will make prevention measurable, actionable, and accountable by developing digital biomarkers for healthy longevity. In particular, you will develop a digital biomarker for mental health and well-being by analyzing intensive longitudinal behavioural and physiological data (e.g. data from voice interactions, breathing patterns and other smartphone sensor data streams). Your activities will also build upon our current BEDDA, Breeze and CanRelax projects.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
36. Two PhD Programs in Petrology/ Volcanology/ Mineral Resources
Summary of PhD Positions:
The MineRS group is offering two SNSF fully-funded (4 years) PhD projects. The projects will focus on understanding magma reservoir evolution associated with the construction of arc-related batholiths and how this evolution is conducive to either ore-forming or volcanic events.
Specifically, we are seeking to quantify (1) the timescales, rates and thermomechanical constraints necessary for the growth of upper crustal silicic magma reservoirs sourcing giant copper deposits, (2) the temporal relationship between pluton construction, volcanic eruptions and porphyry copper deposit formation, and (3) the relative timing of focussed fluid outgassing from magma reservoirs and its distribution in time and space. Ultimately, these questions aim at a quantitative assessment of the physical parameters that control the size of porphyry copper deposits.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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37. PhD Programs in Ground Motion Modelling for Improved Earthquake Magnitude Determination
Summary of PhD Positions:
The PhD position is at the core of the project “Swiss 3D magnitude and ground-shaking from dense instrumental observations and numerical modelling at regional scale” funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The project aims at the development of a comprehensive study in the broad domain of ground-motion modelling (GMM) in Switzerland with emphasis placed on characterising the scaling and attenuation of the ground-shaking intensity measures that are most relevant for earthquake magnitude determination.
Application Deadlines: 30 December 2022
38. PhD Programs in Machine Learning for Predicting States of Receptivity in Digital Therapeutics
Summary of PhD Positions:
Healthcare systems worldwide face challenges arising from the increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease or mental disorders, their related risk factors, and associated economic costs. A holistic intervention paradigm focusing on physical, mental, and social health is needed to prevent and manage NCDs effectively. However, current interventions are limited in scalability and do not provide data-driven, precise, and actionable interventions.
To this end, the Mobile Health Interventions module of the FHT program investigates how ubiquitous technology can be leveraged to support individuals at risk in the most scalable way. This is done by detecting vulnerable states and delivering high precision and actionable interventions, for example, with the help of digital biomarkers, smartphones, wearables, chatbots, or voice assistants.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
39. PhD Programs in law (IP, antitrust, privacy, Internet law, legal tech)
Summary of PhD Positions:
In our group, PhD students conduct internationally oriented fundamental research. PhD theses consist of three to four papers, are written in English, and always include an empirical or experimental component. We organize comprehensive training for legal PhD students in social science methods during their first year at the Center.
This may include courses in economics, political science, and/or statistics at ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, the Study Center Gerzensee, or international summer courses. PhD students usually take three to four years to finish their thesis. Since we want you to be able to focus on your own research and thesis, our PhD positions come only with limited organizational or teaching duties. We provide close supervision, guidance, time and resources for you to develop as a new scholar in the field.
Application Deadlines: Open until filled
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40. PhD Programs in hydro-glaciological modelling
Summary of PhD Positions:
The doctorate is offered in the frame of the research project “21st century evolution of small glaciers and their impact on regional hydrology in the Himalayas”, a project jointly conducted in a large Indo-Swiss collaboration by researchers of VAW-ETHZ, the Hydrology Group of the University of Berne, Switzerland, the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India, and the Indian National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research.
The ultimate goal of the project is to quantify the hydrological relevance of small glaciers in the Himalaya, as many of them are anticipated to disappear in the coming decades because of climatic change. The focus is on glaciers smaller than 2 square kilometers, and on local to regional-scale impacts. The combination of both observational data and numerical modelling will be a focus, as will be the characterization of the relevance of small glaciers for water availability.