PhD Position in Soft Matter Robotics, Liquid Crystalline Elastomers, and Microrobotics at Tampere University Tampere University in Finland

PhD position open at Tampere University in soft matter robotics, liquid crystalline elastomers, artificial muscles, and ciliary motors.

The Light Robots Group at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, is recruiting a highly motivated PhD candidate for a 3-year project supervised by Hao Zeng (Associate Professor). The project is supported by the Research Council of Finland and focuses on autonomous, light- and heat-driven soft robotic systems inspired by biological cilia.

Research directions include: development of microscopic cilia arrays with collective dynamics (metachronal waves), design of light-steered soft endoscopic tools for minimally invasive biomedical applications, and construction of LCE-based artificial muscle systems functioning as heat engines for harvesting low-grade waste heat.

This opportunity sits at the intersection of physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, robotics, and biomedical engineering. The group highlights access to advanced facilities such as 2PP lithography, imaging, and materials characterization, plus strong international collaborations and research mobility.

Eligibility: a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as physics, mechanics, or materials sciences. The post also values teamwork, motivation, creativity, interdisciplinary curiosity, and good scientific humor.

Funding: typical doctoral salary is about 2700–3000 euros/month gross.

Start date: estimated Fall 2026 or Spring 2027.

How to apply: send your CV and cover letter to [email protected].