Soft robotics

The Soft Robotics Lab seeks postdoctoral researchers working on compliant robotic systems, biohybrid actuators, dexterous manipulation, robot learning or embodied-AI simulation. Researchers will develop and experimentally validate systems, publish findings and co-supervise students. The full-time Zurich appointment starts with a one-year contract, renewable annually. Applications are reviewed as they arrive until 30 November 2026; the start date is negotiable.

The Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich develops soft and musculoskeletal robots, biohybrid living systems, dexterous manipulation and robot learning, and simulation for embodied AI. Researchers shape a direction connecting real hardware, sensing and control with learning policies, compliant actuation, fabrication or engineered tissue. Doctoral researchers complete an ETH doctorate, supervise student projects and contribute to teaching. The salaried appointment includes social benefits, an initial 18-month contract and subsequent annual extensions. A completed or nearly completed relevant master’s

Postdoc in the Soft Robotics Lab developing compact tactile sensors for robotic hands to enable reliable manipulation in unstructured environments, including sensor design, fabrication, and integration.

Nature is replete with extraordinary materials that can grow, move, respond, and adapt. In this talk I will describe our ongoing efforts to develop advanced polymeric materials, inspired by nature. First, I will describe my group’s efforts to develop ultrastiff, ultratough materials inspired by the byssal materials of marine mussels. These adhesive contacts allow mussels to secure themselves to rocks, wood, metals and other surfaces in the harsh conditions of the intertidal zone. By developing a foundational understanding of the structure-mechanics relationships and processing of the natural