ENAC - PhD Position in modeling social and environmental performance of buildings

The ETHOS Lab (Engineering and Technology for Human Oriented Sustainability) is seeking PhD candidates to work on projects related to inference, modeling, and optimization of social and environmental performance of commercial buildings.

Hybrid working and other evolving patterns of behavior have added an additional layer of complexity to optimal management of building spaces and the organizations who use them. To address this complexity, we must expand our understanding of human experiences, performance, and well-being in buildings. Our research will therefore involve the development of tools and methods for better characterizing occupant behavioral dynamics in buildings and the social and environmental performance of buildings, leveraging survey-based and data-driven methodologies. Students will have the opportunity to engage in real-world analysis and experimentation in partnership with the Smart Living Lab at EPFL Fribourg, where ETHOS is based.

For more information, consult the following links:

• EPFL: ch
• ENAC: epfl.ch
• Smart Living Lab: ch
• ETHOS: epfl.ch

Main duties and responsibilities include:

• Perform research in human-building dynamics for social and environmental sustainability under the guidance of Prof. Sonta
• Lead and contribute to academic publications in journals and at conferences
• Completion of coursework as required by the doctoral program
• Contribute to teaching, master project supervision, and mentoring of junior ETHOS students

Your profile:

• Master’s degree in relevant field (e.g., civil engineering, architecture, computer science, related engineering or design fields)
• Interested in human-centered and sustainable design of the built environment
• Skilled in data science and/or willing to develop those skills further
• Self-motivated and wiling to learn new things
• Strong English writing and oral communication and willing to develop these skills further in an academic context
• Experience with academic research and publication is a plus

We offer:

• World-class research and learning environment at the Smart Living Lab at EPFL Fribourg and at the EPFL main campus
• Opportunities to conduct studies and experiments on human-building interactions in real-world environments
• Opportunities to attend and present work at international conferences
• Competitive salary

Start date: September 2024 (negotiable)

Work rate: 100%

Duration: 1-year fixed-term contract, renewable for up to 4 years

Contact: Applicants should send a single PDF file containing the following documents to [email protected] , with the exact subject line: PhD Application, Social and Environmental Performance of Buildings

• Brief letter of motivation and interest (max 2 pages)
• CV
• Contact details of 2-3 references
• Grades/transcript (unofficial or official) from bachelor and master studies

Screening will start on July 10 and the position will remain open until filled.