PhD Student in Design of additive manufactured structures (100 %) | ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften

PhD Student in Design of additive manufactured structures (100 %)

Are you passionate about cutting-edge research in advanced manufacturing and noise-optimized gear design? Then this PhD opportunity might be for you!

School: School of Engineering

Starting date: 01.06.2025 - 01.08.2025 (by agreement)

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student to contribute to our SNF WEAVE-Project "Ultra-Silent Gears", a collaboration between the Institute of Product Development and Production Technologies (IPP) at ZHAW and the Gear Research Centre (FZG) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). This research aims to revolutionize gear noise reduction using novel additively manufactured (AM) lattice structures and optimized stiffness distribution.

Your Tasks:

• Develop analytical and numerical models for gear noise behavior considering stiffness optimization.
• Investigate additive manufacturing strategies for lattice structures to enhance gear stiffness and reduce noise.
• Design, fabricate, and test AM gears, comparing them with conventionally produced counterparts.
• Conduct experimental validation of the developed concepts, including mechanical testing and noise measurements.
• Publish research findings in high-impact journals and conferences.
• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science or in a related field with a strong background in mechanics and manufacturing technology.
• Strong knowledge in at least one of the following areas: gear design, product delvelopment, structural mechanics, finite element analysis (FEA), or additive manufacturing.
• Experience with CAD, FE simulation (with e.g. ANSYS, Abaqus) and programming (e.g., Python) is beneficial.
• Interest in experimental work and a hands-on approach to engineering challenges.
• Excellent communication skills in English (German is a plus but not required).

Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW is one of Switzerland's largest multidisciplinary universities of applied sciences, with over 14'000 students and 3'400 faculty and staff.

ZHAW is committed to gender-mixed and diverse teams in order to promote equality, diversity and innovation.

What We Offer:

• The possibility to make a PhD (3 years, extendable to 4 years) in an exciting interdisciplinary research project.
• Access to state-of-the-art laboratories and additive manufacturing facilities.
• Collaboration with renowned experts in gear technology and additive manufacturing.
• Opportunities to present research at international conferences and industry collaborations.
• A dynamic research environment at ZHAW's Institute of Product Development and Production Technologies (IPP), located in Winterthur, Switzerland.
• Supervision of research projects / MSc theses.
• Salary in accordance with SNF guidelines.

Wir bieten hochschulgerechte Arbeits- und Anstellungsbedingungen an und fördern aktiv die Personalentwicklung unserer Mitarbeitenden und Führungspersonen. Eine detaillierte Beschreibung der Vorteile ist auf der Webseite «Arbeiten an der ZHAW» zu finden. Hier die wichtigsten Eckpunkte:

Dr. Hans-Jörg Dennig

Head of Research / Focus Area Product Development

Jocelyn Schaad

Recruiting Manager