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.
Project
This project, in partnership with a Swiss high-tech company, is part of Empa's effort to bridge the gap between fundamental science and engineering applications. Specifically, in this project we will investigate the use of mechanical metamaterials for the design and production of structural elements with high stiffness, low density and good shock and vibration isolation properties over a wide range of frequencies, to protect sensitive devices from damage.
Your tasks
As a research engineer within this project, you will work on practical implementations of metamaterials for vibration and shock isolation. Beyond the state of the art of academic research in the field, you will have to consider the constraints and requirements imposed by real life applications and iterate with the industrial partner to find viable designs and requirements that will lead to a successful implementation of the structures. In order to achieve this goal
- You design structures based on different kind of metamaterials.
- You base your designs on the physical principles that govern dispersion in structured media.
- You model and measure prototypes to validate the numerical models.
- You interact with our industrial partner to gain better understanding of the engineering requirements set to the structures you design, and with your colleagues within the group to discuss the physical foundations of the designs you devise.
- In frequent reporting to stakeholders, varying between weekly to monthly, you will show the results that you have obtained and give a well-founded interpretation of those results. You will iterate on your work and your approach based on the feedback of your supervisors which helps you steer the direction of your research.
Profile
If you recognize yourself in the story below, then you have the profile that fits the project and the research group:
- I have a master degree in engineering, physics or mathematics, and performed above average in comparison to my peers.
- I am proficient in written and spoken English.
- During my courses or prior professional activities, I have gathered some experience with at least one of the following: principles of vibrations and acoustics, structural dynamics, numerical modelling techniques (finite element method), or experimental methods in structural dynamics. I have a profound inter-est for these topics.
- As a research engineer, I enjoy translating the physical principles that inspire my work into viable engineering design solutions and enjoy meeting the challenges set by the real life applications of the structures I design.
- I am excited to expand my scientific and technical knowledge, by searching for relevant literature and through discussions with my colleagues.
Our offer
We offer an inclusive workplace, with a vibrant scientific culture and colleagues that enjoy the challenges posed by real engineering applications. Our new colleague will be integrated in a group of scientists and engineers with diverse academic and cultural background. Close cooperation with a company leading in its high-tech field and the ability to contribute to the translation of ongoing research into application will represent a valuable asset for furthering the successful applicant's career.
Starting date is July 2023 or upon mutual agreement. The project duration is 2 years.
You stay in a vibrant environment centrally in Europe. Empa has its main campus in Dübendorf, located close to Zürich and 20 minutes by tram from Zurich International Airport. Zurich is one of the cities with the highest quality of life worldwide, welcoming to non-German speaking people and with ample opportunities for social, cultural, and outdoor activities.
«a» stands for «all» in our job advertisements. 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 - not age, gender, origin, religion, sexual orientation, etc....
David
Heusser,
Bereichspersonalleiter / HR Partner