The Advanced Manufacturing Lab (am|z) at ETH Zurich, led by Prof. Markus Bambach, invites applications for a fully funded position as a Doctoral Researcher in Humanoid Robotics, 3D Perception, and Embodied Artificial Intelligence. This research opportunity focuses on developing intelligent robotic systems capable of perceiving, learning, and performing complex autonomous manipulation tasks within modern manufacturing environments using cutting-edge single-chip RGB-D sensing systems.
Overview: Doctoral Position at ETH Zurich
| Designation | Doctoral Researcher / PhD Candidate |
| Host Institution | ETH Zurich (Advanced Manufacturing Lab – am|z) |
| Location | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Research Areas | Humanoid Robotics, 3D Perception, Embodied AI, Sim-to-Real Transfer |
| Employment Type | 100%, Full-Time Doctoral Contract |
| Degree Level | PhD / Doctorate |
| Application Deadline | Open until filled (Applications reviewed on a rolling basis) |
Research Area
The research position is situated within an interdisciplinary framework combining advanced robotics, machine learning, computer vision, and manufacturing automation. Key research areas include:
- 3D Simulation & Synthetic Data Generation: Designing realistic simulation pipelines and synthetic data generation tools for annotated RGB-D datasets.
- 3D Semantic Perception: Developing deep learning architectures for scene understanding, 3D reconstruction, point cloud processing, and semantic segmentation.
- Sim-to-Real Transfer: Bridging the simulation-to-reality gap for robust perceptual models and manipulation policies.
- Autonomous & Collaborative Manipulation: Integrating motion planning, perception, and control systems for dexterous handling, assembly, and multi-agent humanoid coordination.
- Embodied AI & Language Grounding: Incorporating vision-language models (VLMs) and large language models (LLMs) to allow humanoid robots to interpret and execute natural language instructions.
Location
The candidate will be based at the Advanced Manufacturing Lab (am|z), ETH Zurich, located at Technoparkstrasse 1, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland.
Designation
Doctoral Researcher (Doctorate / PhD Student)
Eligibility and Qualifications
ETH Zurich seeks ambitious, independent researchers who hold a solid theoretical foundation paired with hands-on robotic programming skills.
Required Qualifications:
- A completed Master’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related discipline.
- Demonstrated competence in robotics fundamentals (kinematics, coordinate transformations, manipulation) or computer vision/machine learning.
- Proficiency in Python; experience with C++ is highly preferred.
- Practical knowledge of standard deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch).
- Hands-on experience in 3D perception, robotic learning, or robotics simulation.
- Experience working in Linux environments and with collaborative software versioning tools (Git).
- Excellent communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English.
Preferred / Advantageous Skills:
- Experience with RGB-D depth sensors, point cloud processing, or 3D scene reconstruction.
- Familiarity with robotics middleware (ROS / ROS 2) and physics simulators (NVIDIA Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, Gazebo).
- Experience with reinforcement learning, imitation learning, or multi-robot collaboration.
- Familiarity with containerized development (Docker), continuous integration, and reproducible ML workflows.
- Prior research contributions demonstrated via a Master’s thesis, workshop papers, or peer-reviewed publications.
- Basic or conversational knowledge of German and/or Korean is an asset.
Scholarship / Position Description
As a doctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, you will conduct original research leading to a doctoral degree (subject to meeting standard ETH doctoral admission requirements). Successful candidates will receive competitive salary support according to the standardized pay scale of ETH Zurich for doctoral students.
Key Responsibilities:
- Formulate, conduct, and evaluate scientific experiments in humanoid perception and autonomous manufacturing.
- Integrate machine learning and perception algorithms with real humanoid platforms and robotic manipulators.
- Author scientific papers for submission to top-tier robotics and machine learning venues (ICRA, IROS, RSS, CVPR, etc.).
- Collaborate with international academic partners and leading industrial stakeholders developing next-generation sensor technology.
- Participate in teaching assistance and co-supervision of student projects.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted exclusively via the official ETH Zurich online job portal. Submissions sent via postal mail or email will not be accepted.
Required Application Documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV): Detailing educational history, technical proficiencies, and project achievements.
- Cover / Motivation Letter: Describing your specific research interests, relevant technical experience, and motivation for pursuing a PhD in embodied AI and humanoid robotics.
- Academic Transcripts & Certificates: Bachelor’s and Master’s degree records.
- Master’s Thesis: Complete copy or an extensive executive summary of your previous research thesis.
- Supplementary Materials (Encouraged): Links to public code repositories (GitHub), portfolio websites, project demonstration videos, or published papers.
Inquiries regarding the position may be addressed to Dr. Jan Petrik via email at jpetrik@ethz.ch (inquiries only; do not send application documents to this address).
Last Date for Apply
Open Until Filled. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their complete application package as early as possible.
Apply Link
Apply Online at ETH Zurich Official Portal
