PhD position “Soft Active Matter Microrobots for Medicine (SAM3)”

This specific PhD project will focus on design, synthesis, and multiscale characterization of materials for soft robotics applications and has application in all three endoscopic areas. The goal of the PhD is to computationally design using a simulation-guided approach and synthesize via light-based 3D-printing architecture (meta)materials for medical soft robotics applications. Furthermore, the morphology, microstructure, and mechanical behaviour of the metamaterials for soft robotics applications will be characterized as a function of environmental and boundary conditions in order to identify structure-property-function relationships. The expected results are further set as follows: 1) Functional architectured material designs and synthesis routes via 3D printing with applications in medical soft robotic applications. 2) Characterization setup for probing mechanical behaviour of active and passive materials for soft robotics applications under various boundary conditions (variable strain rate, relative humidity, etc.). 3) Multiscale characterization of materials and systems developed in the SAM3 project in terms of process-structure-mechanical property-function relationships.

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 candidate should have a Master degree or diploma in materials science, mechanical engineering, or similar, less than 5 years of career at the recruitment date and not having a doctoral degree.

• We are seeking talented and enthusiastic students to perform a PhD, with a solid background in mechanics of materials and simulations.

• Experience with material characterization using electron microscopy, nanoindentation, or other methods, and light-based 3D printing is an advantage.

• The candidate should have strong motivation for research (curiosity, commitment, teamwork spirit and open to discussions with colleagues, science, modelling, experiments, writing and communication skills).

• The candidate should have good command of spoken and written English, and German or French skills are of course an asset.