About the position
RobotX, ETH Zurich's centre for robotics, is looking for PhD students who want to build robots that work in the real world. You apply once and are considered by several robotics groups across ETH: you name up to three professors you would like to work with, and they review your application.
The groups cover soft and bio-inspired robots, legged robots and robot hands, robots built partly from living cells, computer vision, human–robot interaction, computational design, machine learning, humanoids and touch sensing, motion planning, and robots that must work safely around people. You shape your doctoral project with your supervisor in the first months.
What you will do
- Define and carry out your doctoral project in one RobotX group, with access to the wider RobotX network across ETH.
Who can apply
- A master's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering, computer science, robotics, bioengineering, materials science or a related field, completed by August 2027.
- An excellent record in both your bachelor's and your master's.
- Experience in one or more of the research areas, ideally a project you took from an idea to a working result on real hardware.
- Strong programming skills (experience with robotics software is a plus) and excellent written and spoken English.
What is offered
- A fully funded doctoral post at ETH Zurich, paid at ETH's doctoral salary rate with full social benefits.
- A start date by agreement in 2027.
- ETH staff benefits, including public transport passes, sport through ASVZ, childcare and a pension.
How to apply
- Apply only through ETH's online portal, linked below, by 15 December 2026. Applications by email or post are not accepted.
- Send one merged PDF, ideally under 10 MB, in this order: a cover letter (your research motivation, what you have built, and which RobotX groups you want to join and why); your CV with any publications; bachelor's and master's transcripts in English with the grading scale; three referees with email and direct phone numbers; and one publication, thesis or project report.
- Name the file with the date and your name, for example 261201_MillerJane_application.pdf.