PhD student position in the field of durability of wooden structures

Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

The laboratories for Surface Science and Coating Technologies as well as Cellulose and Wood Materials will both be involved in this project. The student will work together with experts in the fields of tribology, wood and wood treatments, and the development and implementation of machine learning.

PhD student position in the field of durability of wooden structures

Your tasks
Your tasks will focus on the design and operation of experiments to investigate the failure mechanisms in wooden structures. This will require the implementation of mechanical testing combined with a variety of sensors to follow changes in the structures. You will use a range of surface analytical techniques to characterize the detected changes. You will work closely with another PhD student and a post-doc to collectively investigate the failure mechanisms and the generation of high-quality sensor data.

Your profile

• MSc in Materials Science or Mechanical Engineering 
• Experience in measuring and understanding mechanical properties of materials
• Enthusiasm for designing and operating experimental setups 
• Highly motivated to work in an interdisciplinary group 
• Some experience in working with vibration or acoustic emission sensors would be advantageous

Our offer
This research, part of a large EU Project, will be carried out primarily at Empa in Dübendorf but may also involve experiments at ETH Zurich and will lead to a PhD degree from ETH Zurich. The expected starting date will be in spring of 2025. Empa offers excellent infrastructure in a highly interdisciplinary environment and encourages participation in international conferences.

We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.

We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, certificates, diplomas and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.