PhD developing efficient and ultra-wide range converter systems DC pow

Organisation/Company ETH Zürich Research Field Engineering » Electrical engineering Engineering » Systems engineering Engineering » Other Physics » Electromagnetism Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Country Switzerland Final date to receive applications 1 Feb 2026 - 22:59 (UTC) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Part-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

PhD candidate for developing highly efficient and ultra-wide range converter systems for DC power supplies

The Laboratory for High Power Electronic Systems (HPE) at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering of ETH Zurich conducts internationally leading research on power electronic converter systems, which are required, for example, in future energy distribution systems for the integration of renewable energy sources or in traction applications/electric vehicles. Another research focus is on solid-state pulse modulators for medical applications (computer tomography/cancer treatment) and accelerators (CERN).

For the design and optimisation of the various power electronic systems, we develop advanced multi-physics models/digital twins/virtual prototypes at the component and system level. For a new research project on highly efficient power supplies for facility automation, we are looking for a:
PhD candidate (100%) for developing highly efficient and ultra-wide range converter systems for DC power supplies

We are looking for highly motivated individuals with an outstanding academic background who are interested in pursuing a PhD in the research area of converter topologies and modulation strategies for low-power DC supplies with a very high efficiency and a very wide range of input voltages. Such supply systems are required for applications such as supplying actuators and sensors in facility automation, where the converters often operate in standby mode or at a relatively low load, with the full output power only being required for short periods when the actuator is active.

Despite these supplies' typically low power level, the overall worldwide power consumption is substantial, and achieving a high efficiency at low power levels would allow to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by facility automation.

To push the efficiency limits of such DC supplies, you will develop new converter concepts for AC/DC power supplies with an ultra-wide input voltage range, which are highly efficient even at low output power levels. In a second step, you will develop multi-physics models of all relevant components to maximise the performance of the new converter concepts. These models should then be integrated into optimisation procedures for power electronic converter systems in a computationally efficient way to enable comprehensive system efficiency optimisations across a wide range.

These models are also part of an ongoing modelling framework development project at HPE, offering the opportunity to collaborate with other PhD candidates on various modelling aspects. In a third step, you will validate the models and optimisation results by developing and operating various test setups and prototype systems in collaboration with an industry partner. Finally, you will explore the potential for integrating the novel converter concepts into a power integrated circuit.

This would enable the incorporation of additional features and reduce system costs in the long term.

Profile

• You must have a diploma/M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering with excellent grades
• Fundamental knowledge of power electronic converter systems
• Fluency in English
• The willingness to fully commit yourself as part of an international team.
• In addition, you should be interested in the detailed modelling and design of magnetic components and the optimisation of power electronic systems.

We offer

• Your job with impact:
  Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society
• Our laboratory offers a challenging and…