Materials Engineer or Postdoctoral Researcher Aerogels and Aerogel Composites

Materials Engineer or Postdoctoral Researcher on Aerogels and Aerogel Composites (80 - 100%)

Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting‑edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well‑being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

The Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components develops advanced and/or low eco‑impact, porous materials for insulation, sorption, and energy‑related applications. Our research portfolio spans fundamental materials chemistry, process–structure–property relationships, and application‑driven R&D, in close collaboration with academic and industrial partners.

To strengthen our team, we are seeking a highly motivated researcher with a strong background in aerogel R&D and/or aerogel science and an interest in applied materials research. Both applicants with and without a doctoral degree will be considered.

Project Focus

The innovation project builds on Empa’s extensive experience in silica aerogels, aerogel composites and aerogel product development. The project is in close collaboration with a large enterprise and focusses on the development of high‑performance materials and materials systems based on, among others, silica aerogel.

Key objectives include:

• Elucidate how synthesis route and aerogel properties affect the aerogel composite properties
• Optimize thermal and mechanical properties of aerogel composites
• Streamline the efficiency of the aerogel composite production process, scale‑up to the 50 by 50 cm range, and prepare for large‑scale production with help of the project team and external partners
• Trouble‑shoot and optimize the integration of the aerogel composites into the overall system in close collaboration with the project partner

Materials Engineer or Postdoctoral Researcher on Aerogels and Aerogel Composites (80 - 100%)

Your tasks
Supported by the project management, you will take a leading role in shaping and executing the innovation project. Within the framework of an innovation project with well‑defined objectives, you will be encouraged to develop independent ideas, propose new concepts, and test them experimentally. The role is ideally suited for somebody that is excited by the prospect to develop real‑world applications and/or aims to transition from academic research to industry R&D, rather than for somebody that aims to stay on a purely academic track.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Help coordinate project activities in close interactions with industrial project partners
• Supervise intern students contributing to the project
• Design and execute aerogel synthesis strategies and systematic parameter studies
• Investigate effects of sol density, and precursor and substrate selection on aerogel and aerogel‑composite properties
• Characterize aerogel and aerogel composites
• Compile, analyze, and critically interpret experimental data
• Contribute to patent applications with support from the team
• For up to 20% of your time, contribute to or lead scientific research lines adjacent to the project scope and contribute to scientific publication of the results

Your profile

• A high level of curiosity, independence, and motivation
• Doctoral or master's degree in materials engineering, sol‑gel chemistry or a closely related field
• Hands‑on experience with the synthesis of (silica) aerogels and/or aerogel composites is a must, either in an academic environment or a company setting
• Experience with scale‑up of aerogel synthesis is beneficial, but not required
• Industry experience is beneficial, but not required
• Familiarity with adhesives selection and bonding optimization is beneficial, but not required
• Familiarity with porous materials characterization techniques is beneficial, but not required, e.g. nitrogen sorption (BET, BJH, NLDFT), SEM, TEM, TGA, FTIR, NMR, thermal conductivity measurements
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

Our offer
We offer a stimulating, international, and collaborative research environment at a leading research institution with state‑of‑the‑art infrastructure. The laboratory and supervisors provide a supportive and safe‑to‑fail work…