PhD Position: Foundation Models for the Electric Power Grid of the Future ETH Zürich in Switzerland

ETH Zürich invites applications for a fully funded PhD position focused on developing foundation models for the electric power grid of the future. This project addresses the challenges posed by the energy transition and climate change, particularly the integration of large shares of renewable energy into power systems. The research aims to create scalable, advanced AI models—specifically foundation models (FMs) based on transformer architectures—that can generalize across a variety of power system tasks, including operations, planning, and risk assessment.

The successful candidate will investigate key research questions such as the role of physics-informed learning, neural operators, and reinforcement learning in building GridFM, as well as the application of the mixture of experts (MoE) paradigm to improve model scalability and efficiency. The project will utilize and extend existing datasets like PowerGraph and modeling tools such as Cascades, developed with graph neural networks. Collaboration with industry partners, including IBM, will provide real-world context and application potential for the developed models.

The position is situated at the intersection of power engineering and artificial intelligence, offering the opportunity to contribute to reliable, resilient, and low-carbon energy systems. The candidate will join an interdisciplinary and international research environment at ETH Zürich, one of the world’s leading universities in science and technology. The university offers a competitive salary, access to state-of-the-art computational infrastructure, and strong support for career development.

Applicants should have or be close to completing an MSc in Power Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, with a solid background in either power system analysis or machine learning. Experience with Python programming and data-driven modeling is beneficial. Strong motivation, analytical skills, and proficiency in English are required. ETH Zürich values diversity, sustainability, and an inclusive culture, providing a supportive environment for all staff and students.

To apply, submit your application online via the ETH application portal, including your CV, cover letter, and transcripts. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered. For more information about the research group and ETH Zürich, please visit the university’s website.