Post-doctoral Position in Machine Learning for Engineering Design

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

The Laboratory for Intelligence in Design Engineering and Learning (IDEAL) in the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering invites applications for a Post-doctoral position in the area of Machine Learning for Engineering Design under the guidance of Prof. Mark Fuge, the Chair of Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Design. The general area of the laboratory covers the study of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the context of Engineering Design problems in domains such as healthcare, power generation, aerospace, and robotics. The successful candidate will join a growing research team and have a unique professional development opportunity to help shape and guide initial investments in laboratory infrastructure.

Project background

This postdoctoral position would focus on studying the properties of different Generative Models (such as GANS, VAEs, and Diffusion Models) within the context of Inverse Design and Optimization applications that build upon our laboratory's past and ongoing work and application domains. In addition, since the Laboratory will be transitioning from the University of Maryland to ETH Zurich in Summer 2024, this postdoctoral position would have a unique opportunity to help build and launch scientific infrastructure in partnership with existing students and scientific staff members. As such, it offers unique and advanced professional development opportunities in both leadership and laboratory operations that will position the candidate well for future success as an independent scientist. You can read more about our past work at our laboratory's current website .

Job description

As a postdoctoral researcher, your responsibilities may include:

• Development or analysis of novel Machine Learning algorithms for engineering design applications, such as Inverse Design, Surrogate Modeling, or generative modeling.
• Collaborating with partners from industry, academia, and national labs to translate real-world needs into scientific or technical questions.
• Working independently or with other scientific staff to deploy our simulation or algorithm pipelines on advanced computational infrastructure, such as High- Performance Computing systems.
• Helping to set up the specialized digital or physical scientific infrastructure needed to support planned experiments as relevant to your research focus.
• Participating actively in dissemination efforts such as publishing scientific papers, attending or presenting at conferences or workshops, or other scholarly outreach activities. 
• Designing and writing portions of scientific research proposals to support laboratory efforts.
• Supervising Ph.D., Masters, and/or Bachelors students.
• Limited assistance in teaching efforts for relevant coursework in the laboratory's general area.

Your profile

The following are some characteristics that may align well with the position:

• You should be a highly motivated researcher with expertise in some of the following areas (please address these in the cover letter): Machine Learning, Computational Simulations (e.g., CFD, FEA, etc.), domain expertise in Engineering problems, and familiarity with High-Performance Computing (HPC) environments. 
• You are expected to have a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Robotics, or related fields with excellent track records in competitive archival journal publications, top-tier Computer Science or Robotics conferences, or competitive venues appropriate to your Ph.D. research field. 
• You should possess strong English language skills, and the ability to work successfully and collaboratively on diverse, multi-national teams. 
• Preferred candidates will also possess working knowledge of recent Machine Learning or HPC-related techniques or tooling, such as relevant Python or Julia libraries (JAX, PyTorch, and similar) and how to package simulation or ML codes for dissemination or deployment on distributed servers (e.g., Docker, Singularity, and running codes on HPC clusters). Knowledge of (or prior research) in robotics (e.g., ROS, forward/inverse kinematics), manufacturing (e.g., Additive or Subtractive Manufacturing), or computer vision/language models is a plus, but not a requirement.
• This position involves significant interpersonal and leadership opportunities that integrate with others in the ETH workplace, and ETH Zurich has developed a set of six core competencies  that we expect from all employees. These include acting responsibly, nurturing well-being, driving innovation, living inclusivity, building bridges, and enabling people. In your cover letter, to the extent that you can speak to them as part of your past work, please note your key strengths in these competencies and examples that speak to them.

We encourage candidates to apply even if they do not think they possess every single point above, particularly for candidates from underrepresented or marginalized groups who may not have had access to certain development opportunities. We will work with any selected candidates to develop targeted competencies on a personalized basis. 

Your workplace

Your workplace

We offer

The position is offered on a fixed-term basis with an anticipated duration of approximately two years, with an initial contract duration of one year, with a possibility of future extensions based on performance evaluation. The anticipated start date for the position is August 1st, 2024, however, this date can be shifted forward or backward upon mutual agreement to match the needs of the selected candidate. The position is designed as a full-time (100%) appointment, however, we can offer flexibility in both time and location (home office possibility from your residence in Switzerland) as needed to best enable an individual's needs and well-being. ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. In addition to this, you can look forward to:

• World-class research infrastructure and excellent working conditions guided by our common understanding of a supportive shared work culture .
• A high level of autonomy to develop your skills as an independent researcher.
• Opportunities to work with a diverse, motivated, and multi-cultural team in a creative research environment.
• Support for personalized professional development and mentoring with the ability to build a strong support network for your future career, and be part of a laboratory with a strong track record of placing post-doctoral employees into competitive research positions and professorships.

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Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application through this portal and it should contain the following documents in PDF format (make sure your last name is on all the documents and in the file name):

• A Cover Letter (maximum 2 pages) addressed to Prof. Mark Fuge describing your motivation to apply for the position in line with the criteria mentioned above.
• A Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications
• Contact information for two references, which can be appended to the CV or provided as a separate PDF if you prefer. No reference letters are needed at the time of application, and we will notify you in advance if we intend to reach out to them or request letters.
• (Optional) A short research statement describing your desired future research areas that you hope to engage in during a post-doctoral appointment.

For best consideration, please submit the above application by March 15th, 2024.

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Further information about the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering can be found on our website .

Clarifying questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Mark Fuge ([email protected]) (no applications).

About ETH Zürich

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.