The Chair for Digital Building Technologies invites applications for a PhD position focused on 3D printing of stone for the restoration of heritage buildings. This doctorate is part of the ETH Grant project "Spatially graded 3D printing to elucidate contour scaling of building stones" and will be conducted in close collaboration with the Chair for Physical Chemistry of Building Materials in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering.
The project aims to develop a new powder-bed printing system with spatially graded material deposition and use it to produce replacement parts for historic stone structures.
Tasks
- Design, build, and commission a laboratory-scale powder-bed printer with dual powder and dual liquid feeds, derived from the chair's architectural-scale system and conceived as a modular research instrument to be reconfigured as needed.
- Use the printer to produce stone replacement parts for heritage buildings that satisfy conservation practice compatibility requirements and engage with the historic fabric.
- Develop tectonic strategies for connecting printed parts to existing structures and investigate, through making, how a printed element addresses the surface it meets, using graded color, texture, and printed veining.
- Produce printed samples to support deterioration research of the partner chair, integrating their findings into the development of the printing process.
- Publish in leading venues, present at international conferences, and contribute to teaching through supervision of semester and master's projects.
Requirements
- Strong background, and ideally a demonstrated body of work, in digital fabrication, with ambition to treat material behavior as a subject of design research.
- Master's degree in architecture or a closely related discipline, combined with substantial design work.
- Genuine competence in building fabrication equipment; proficiency in mechanical design and prototyping is essential, and experience with electronics, sensing, or control software is a strong asset.
- Fluency in computational design and experience in bridging digital models and physical results.
- Interest in the behavior of stone is welcome; scientific characterization is handled by the partner group.
- Excellent oral and written English is essential; conversational knowledge of German is an advantage.
- Strong communication skills and a genuinely collaborative disposition are essential due to collaboration between research groups and field practitioners.
Benefits
- Flexible working hours and home office options.
- Complete workshop and prototyping infrastructure.
- Considerable latitude for doctoral researchers in shaping their research trajectory.
- Highly diverse and international group with extensive networks within ETH and internationally.
- Commitment to diversity, equality of opportunity, and sustainability.
Bist du Teil dieses Unternehmens?
Dieses Unternehmensprofil wurde automatisch erstellt. Wenn du für ETH Zürich arbeitest, kannst du das Profil jetzt beanspruchen und verifizieren – kostenlos und in wenigen Minuten.
Über uns
Das Team
The project is conducted jointly with a materials science group and involves close exchange with a second doctoral researcher. The group is highly diverse and international, offering extensive networks and a collaborative environment.