Researcher (ML focus) in Soft Robotics Systems

Project background The Soft Robotics Lab within the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at ETH Zurich, through the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), is inviting applications for a full-time researcher position based in Singapore. We are looking for an exceptional, hands-on engineer to design, build, and test soft robotic manipulation systems for automated baggage handling inside aircraft cargo holds. Our lab's goal is to build, model, and control robots in a fundamentally different way, so that they become more flexible, dexterous, capable, and adapt better to their environment. The lab has showcased its research in robotic design and algorithms through real-world applications such as a robotic fish for underwater locomotion, soft robotic hands for pick-and-place tasks, and multi-segment arms for dynamic object manipulation. This position is part of Project Nyala, the Automated Loose Baggage Handling System for Narrow-Body Aircraft, funded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) under the Aviation Transformation Programme (ATP-Airport). A consortium led by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), with SEC, NTU, and SIT as partner institutions, will develop a compact robotic system that automates the loading and unloading of loose baggage inside the cargo holds of narrow-body aircraft such as the A320 and B737. Today, ground handlers manually lift and stack bags of up to 32 kg in a space with less than 1.2 m of height clearance. The project will take the system from concept through digital modelling and simulation to TRL 3-4 physical prototypes, validated in are presentative cargo hold mock-up. The project runs for 30 months, from June 2026 to November 2028. SEC leads the manipulation research within the consortium: dexterous manipulation concepts for irregular baggage, soft and hybrid end-effector architectures, adaptive grasping of deformable objects, concept validation and design trade studies, and system-level interface and integration. This is a builder’s role at its core. You will work across mechanical design, soft and compliant actuation, fabrication, electronics, and control to create complete manipulation subsystems, then iterate relentlessly through hands-on experimentation until they perform in the real world. A distinctive feature of this role is the direct collaboration with aviation industry partners and stakeholders, including Airbus, SATS, Changi Airport Group, and Singapore Airlines, translating cutting-edge soft robotics technology into a system with immediate operational relevance. Job description You will take soft robotic end-effectors and manipulation subsystems for baggage handling from concept to working prototype. Working with a team designing and fabricating grippers and compliant actuation elements, you will be responsible for integrating sensing and control of the gripper into Machine Learning algorithms that you will train for the dexterous manipulation of baggage. The performance will be validated through systematic real-world testing. Each design and learning cycles feeds the next, so rapid prototyping, measurement, and iteration sit at the heart of the project. Baggage is deformable, irregular, and heavy: bags of up to 32 kg that vary widely in size, shape, material, and fragility must be grasped, transferred, and stacked inside a hold with less than 1.2 m of clearance. You will engineer adaptive grasping strategies and dexterous manipulation algorithms that handle this diversity reliably, and validate them through design trade studies against the project’s performance, safety, and reliability targets. You will combine hands-on robotic control, machine learning, and experimental testing with modeling, actuation, and control to deliver complete, functional manipulation subsystems across all work packages, from concept development and sub-system evaluation to system-level integration, testing, and validation in the cargo hold mock-up. Close, day-to-day collaboration with the SUTD-led consortium is key to the project: you will integrate SEC’s end-effector and grasping technology with the perception, planning, and platform work of the partner institutions to build a system that no single group could achieve alone. You will work within this multidisciplinary team and have access to a world-class lab, state-of-the-art fabrication facilities, and the broader robotics ecosystem at the SEC and the ETH Zurich Soft Robotics Lab (srl.ethz.ch). This is an applied engineering role focused on implementation and impact. The primary deliverables are functional prototypes, integrated robotic subsystems, and software solutions that meet the project’s milestones and KPIs. Success in this role is measured by the quality and performance of the physical systems you build, not by the number of papers produced. Selection Criteria You are extremely curious, highly motivated, greatly independent, and you want to make a real difference with your research. You work best when you are in a team, you are respectful and thrive when you can collaborate with others and provide support. Through your prior experiences, you have ideally already shown your understanding and skills in: • Master’s degree or PhD in mechanical engineering, robotics, mechatronics, electrical engineering, or a closely related field. • Demonstrated hands-on experience building or programming physical systems: prototyping, CAD, fabrication (e.g. 3D printing, machining, molding), electronics, robot integration, robot programming, or machine learning. • Working knowledge of actuation, mechanism design, control, or embedded systems, and a willingness to grow across the full robotics stack. • Prior research experience demonstrated through a Master’s thesis, research project, or equivalent work, with strong written and spoken English. • A bias toward action: you like to build, test, break, and iterate quickly rather than stay purely in simulation. • Strong motivation for interdisciplin…