Postdoctoral Fellowship at Design++ ETH Zürich in Switzerland

Postdoctoral Fellowship at Design++ is an interdisciplinary postdoc opportunity at ETH Zurich, hosted by Design++, the Center for Augmented Computational Design in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC). The fellowship is designed to advance computational methods and AI/XR for the built environment, with a strong emphasis on bridging research and practice in architecture, engineering, construction, and urban/landscape planning.

The program is supported through a strategic partnership with Halter Group AG and will fund two two-year postdoctoral positions. Fellows will be co-mentored by two ETH professors from different departments, with at least one co-host affiliated with the Design++ Faculty Network. The fellowship encourages ambitious, high-impact projects that can improve resource efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and increase productivity in the built environment.

Research themes include AI-enhanced design and planning for urban development, architectural and structural design, and building systems simulation; XR-augmented workflows using augmented, virtual, or mixed reality for spatial understanding, coordination, inspection, and decision-making; seamless digital processes from office to site, including visual analytics and LLM-enabled workflows; and intelligent, collaborative project delivery to improve transparency and multi-stakeholder decision-making. Methods may include AI/ML, LLMs, XR, robotics, simulation, optimization, or related approaches.

Applicants should propose a clear AEC challenge, choose suitable methods, and explain the real-world impact of the work. The call is open to both foundational and applied proposals, including topics such as representations, verification, interpretability for AEC, as well as practical projects in industry-linked settings. The fellowship also includes engagement with the Design++ community through workshops, schools, seminars, events, and industry exchanges, plus quarterly progress updates to Halter Group and formal mid-term and final presentations/reports.

Eligibility highlights: a PhD completed or to be completed within 10 months of the deadline, with a start date no later than September 2027; strong alignment with Design++ priorities; and an innovative, well-argued proposal. Desirable experience includes publications or awards, industry collaboration, and experience with AI/ML, XR, robotics, simulation, or optimization.

Funding and support: the appointment is a two-year ETH postdoc contract with salary according to ETH regulations and standard postdoc pay. Fellows gain access to the Design++ network and labs, including the Immersive Design Lab (IDL) and Large-scale Virtualization & Modeling Lab (LVML), as well as ETH-wide development opportunities and family support benefits.

Application window: the call opens 28 August 2026 and closes 1 November 2026. Shortlisted interviews are planned for December 2026, with decisions in January 2027 and a start date by September 2027. Applications must be submitted online through ETH Zurich’s portal.