PhD Position in Mechanical Engineering

PhD Position in Mechanical Engineering

ETH Zurich

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

Build the next generation of muscle-actuated robots in a lab whose recent biohybrid work has been published in Science Advances and Advanced Intelligent Systems.

The Soft Robotics Lab within the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at ETH Zurich is inviting applications for an open doctoral position. We are looking for an excellent researcher to join and advance our research efforts in the fabrication and control of biohybrid robots. Our lab's goal is to build, model, and control robots in a fundamentally different way, so that they become more flexible, dexterous, capable, and adapt better to their environment. On the biohybrid side, the lab has recently demonstrated 3D-bioprinted muscle-tendon interfaces with enhanced force transmission (Science Advances, 2025) and sensor-embedded muscle enabling closed-loop proprioceptive control (Advanced Intelligent Systems, 2025), work that has been featured in ETH press and international robotics media.

Project background

The frontier of research in soft robotics aims at replacing classic soft materials used for actuators with biological ones (muscle) to take advantage of the innate adaptability, energy efficiency, and softness of biological systems. While a few years ago these biohybrid robots (bio-bots) could be considered a matter for science fiction, recent work has demonstrated fish-like swimming bio-bots, caterpillar-like walking bio-bots, and even pick-and-place biological machines powered by engineered muscle tissue.

Within this research area, the SRL designs, fabricates, and characterizes muscle-driven biohybrid robots. Muscle constructs are produced using hydrogel casting, micro-molding, and light- and extrusion-based bioprinting, then actuated through electrical stimulation and analyzed via motion tracking. Current research challenges include scaling up engineered muscle tissues, controlling myofiber formation during biofabrication and maturation, exploring tissue architectures from biomimetic to biosynthetic forms, integrating proprioception into muscle-based actuators, and discovering sustainable materials for biohybrid systems (including non-mammalian sources).

Recent results from the lab include muscle–tendon bioprinting of mechanically optimized musculoskeletal bioactuators with enhanced force transmission (Filippi et al., Science Advances, 2025); sensor-embedded muscle for closed-loop, proprioceptive control of biohybrid robots (Filippi et al., Advanced Intelligent Systems, 2025); perfusable bioprinted skeletal muscle tissue at the centimeter scale (Filippi et al., Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2023); a perspective on microfluidics for functionally integrated biohybrid robots (Filippi et al., PNAS, 2022); and bilayered biofabrication unlocking skeletal muscle for biohybrid soft robots (Balciunaite et al., RoboSoft, 2024).

The doctoral candidate will join an interdisciplinary team working at the intersection of tissue engineering, biofabrication, robotics, and control. Day-to-day mentorship will come from senior biohybrid researchers in the lab, including Miriam Filippi and Aiste Balciunaite, both co-authors on the works cited above. Cross-group collaborations within ETH Zurich and active international collaborations with IBEC Barcelona (Sanchez, Guix), the University of Tokyo (Takeuchi), and Empa (Clemens) are part of the day-to-day research environment.

Doctoral candidates will be employed according to the regulations of ETH Zurich, and upon completing the doctorate, will be awarded the title "Doctor of Sciences (Dr. sc. ETH Zurich)". More information about the ETH Zurich doctorate can be found here.

Job description

The thesis work will focus on:

• Designing and engineering bioreactors for the mechanical tensioning, electrical stimulation, and long-term maturation of engineered muscle constructs
• Bioprinting of complex muscle architectures using extrusion- and light-based approaches
• Fabrication, characterization, and motion modelling of muscle-actuated biohybrid robots, potentially leveraging machine-learning approaches for control and motion prediction
• Beyond these core directions, the candidate will contribute to broader efforts within the lab, including the integration of engineered neural networks with muscle constructs, the development of proprioceptive sensing in living actuators, and the exploration of new scaffolding materials and cell sources for sustainable biohybrid robotics
• The outcomes of the PhD are expected to advance muscle-driven robots toward applications in adaptive prosthetics, biohybrid medical implants, and regenerative tissue engineering

Profile

• You commit fully to your research and bring an engineering mindset to a complex, interdisciplinary problem
• You thrive in collaborative teams and welcome scientific exchange across disciplines
• Hold a Master's degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline (e.g., bioengineering, materials science and engineering, robotics)
• An engineering mindset is essential; a purely biological background will not be sufficient for this role

Through your prior experiences, you have ideally already shown your understanding and skills in:

• Have an excellent track record and meet the general admission requirements for a doctorate at ETH Zurich
• Bring a foundational understanding of cell biology, basic mechanics principles, and materials science/engineering
• Have completed prior research work with cell or bacterial culture, at minimum as a course project
• Experience with mammalian or non-mammalian cell culture, biomaterials, or biofabrication is a plus

We offer

ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. The position is fully funded at the ETH-standard PhD salary, typically four years in duration, with a flexible start date in autumn 2026. The package includes a generous travel budget for international conferences and lab visits.

ETH Zurich is committed to equal opportunity and diversity. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and especially encourage applications from groups underrepresented in engineering.

Why join SRL?

• Recent high-impact biohybrid publications in Science Advances, Advanced Intelligent Systems, Advanced Healthcare Materials, and PNAS, with active press coverage
• Dedicated BSL2 wet lab, multiple extrusion- and light-based bioprinters, electrical stimulation rigs, and motion-tracking setups available on site
• Active international collaborations with IBEC Barcelona (Sanchez, Guix), the University of Tokyo (Takeuchi), and Empa (Clemens)