The Soft Robotics Lab within the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at ETH Zurich is inviting applications for a postdoctoral position within an industry-funded research collaboration. The lab's goal is to build, model, and control robots in a fundamentally different way, making them more flexible, dexterous, capable, and better able to adapt to their environment. The lab has demonstrated its research through real-world applications such as a robotic fish for underwater locomotion and soft robotic hands for versatile object and scene manipulation.
This project focuses on developing compact, durable tactile sensors for dexterous robotic hands, enabling reliable manipulation even where vision-based approaches fall short in unstructured, real-world settings.
Tasks
- Lead the design, fabrication, and characterization of compact tactile sensing modules that provide multi-axis force information, fit within a human hand form factor, and remain robust under real-world manipulation.
- Survey and benchmark different tactile sensing modalities, selecting approaches best suited to the project's requirements.
- Integrate the resulting sensors into one of the lab's existing tendon-driven robotic hand platforms, optimizing readout electronics and packaging for seamless system integration.
- Design representative bench- and task-level benchmarks and demonstrate closed-loop tactile behaviors for real-time manipulation control.
- Co-supervise PhD and master's students working alongside you, take ownership of driving the work end to end, and lead dissemination through publication in top robotics venues.
Requirements
- You are an accomplished, hands-on researcher who wants to make a real difference with your work.
- You are highly independent and assertive in defending your research direction, while thriving when collaborating with and supporting others.
- Completed PhD in robotics, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, electrical engineering, or a closely related field.
- Strong, published track record of hands-on hardware research: designing, fabricating, and experimentally validating physical sensing or actuation systems in the real world.
- Demonstrated expertise in at least one relevant sensing modality (e.g. tactile, force, or optical sensing), and comfort working across electronics, mechanical design, fabrication, and signal processing.
- Track record of peer-reviewed publications in leading robotics venues that demonstrate both technical depth and real-world validation of results.
- Prior experience mentoring or co-supervising PhD or master's students, and a collaborative, supportive mindset.
- Strong written and spoken English, and comfort communicating results to an industry partner as well as an academic audience.
- Background or experience in tactile sensing or dexterous manipulation is a plus.
Benefits
- Become part of ETH Zurich, which supports your professional development and contributes to positive change in society.
- Opportunity to lead a component of an active industry research collaboration, with direct exposure to real-world deployment requirements alongside publication-quality academic research.
- Benefits such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ, childcare, and attractive pension benefits.
- Work within a multidisciplinary team and have access to a world-class lab, state-of-the-art fabrication facilities, and the broader robotics ecosystem at ETH Zurich.
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Über uns
Das Team
You will work within the Soft Robotics Lab at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team and co-supervising PhD and master's students.