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

School:

School of Engineering

Starting date:

01.06.2025 - 01.08.2025 (by agreement)

Your role

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.

Your profile

• 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).

This is what we stand for

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.

What you can expect

We offer working conditions and terms of employment commensurate with higher education institutions and actively promote personal development for staff in leadership and non-leadership positions. A detailed description of advantages and benefits can be found at Working at the ZHAW . The main points are listed below:

Contact

Dr. Hans-Jörg Dennig
Head of Research / Focus Area Product Development

Jocelyn Schaad
Recruiting Manager