Walter Kaufmann

This fully funded doctoral position at ETH Zürich focuses on advancing the structural assessment of bridges under special road transports using AI, automation, and computational methods. The project is based at the Chair of Structural Engineering – Concrete Structures and Bridge Design (Prof. Walter Kaufmann), in collaboration with the Computational Design Lab (Dr. Sophia Kuhn), the ETH AI Center, and Design++. The research is directly relevant to Swiss infrastructure, with the Swiss Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) as an industry partner. Each year, ASTRA processes over 20,000 applications for special road transports, many requiring bridge assessments. The manual process is time-intensive due to the diversity of transport configurations and bridge inventories. This project aims to develop efficient, reliable, and interpretable models for bridge safety and serviceability, combining simulation data and bridge inventory data. It also seeks to capture the influence of recurring heavy transports on structural damage and durability. The doctoral candidate will conduct independent research at the intersection of classical structural engineering and modern data-driven methods, regularly engaging with ASTRA to ensure practical relevance. Responsibilities include scientific writing for a doctoral thesis, peer-reviewed publications, and co-supervision of Bachelor’s and Master’s theses. The position requires completion of 12 course credits in the research field as part of the doctoral programme. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering (preferably with a specialization in Structural Engineering), and ideally have experience in Python scripting, AI, Machine Learning, or Data Science. Strong initiative, independence, and clear communication in English are essential; German is a plus. ETH Zürich offers a supportive research environment, access to the ETH AI Center and Design++ communities, and career development opportunities with mentors from academia and industry. ETH Zürich is renowned for its excellence in science and technology, diversity, and sustainability. The university promotes equality of opportunity and a climate-neutral future. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with a start date by arrangement (no later than October 2026). Applications must be submitted online via the ETH Zurich portal; email or postal applications are not accepted. For questions about the position, contact Dr. Sophia Kuhn at [email protected] (no applications). For more information and to apply, visit the official application link.