Robotics Hardware Engineer for Field & Water Platforms

Academic Positions; Schweiz; On-site; CHF 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ETH Zurich is seeking a Robotics - Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and fabrication of autonomous field robots for demanding environments and water campaigns. The role emphasizes hands-on hardware from concept to built systems, with cross-collaboration across electronics and software teams in a funded project setting.

The successful candidate will own mechanical architecture, manage prototypes, and work closely with workshops and suppliers to ensure reliable assemblies and field readiness.

Qualifications

• About 0–5 years of hands-on experience after your degree. This is an early-career project-staff role.
• A background in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, robotics or equivalent practical engineering experience.
• Evidence you have taken hardware from concept to a tested object others can build or maintain.
• Hands-on work is required: you build, assemble, debug and test physical hardware yourself—prototype on bench and outdoors.
• Enough fluency with electronics packaging and software-facing constraints to collaborate without waiting for perfect handoffs.
• Appetite for outdoor and on-water testing; field days are part of the job, including Lake Zürich and partner sites.
• An independent working style, and documentation habits that help a small team scale.

Responsibilities

• Own the physical robot: structure, mechanisms, enclosures, mounts and the path from idea to a part that can be built again.
• Design with manufacture, assembly, sealing and service in mind; prove it with prototypes, fixtures and tests, including outdoors.
• Work at the seams with electronics and software: space, connectors, heat, cables, access, and how water and vibration affect things.
• Partner with workshops, suppliers and technicians so drawings turn into reliable assemblies and field issues become controlled changes.
• Leave a trail: clear models, revisions and build notes for future teams.

Skills

Mechatronics

Robotics

CAD

Prototyping

Hardware integration

Education

Mechanical engineering

Robotics

Tools

CAD software

Prototyping tools

Job description

ETH Zurich is seeking a Robotics - Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and fabrication of autonomous field robots for demanding environments and water campaigns. The role emphasizes hands-on hardware from concept to built systems, with cross-collaboration across electronics and software teams in a funded project setting.

The successful candidate will own mechanical architecture, manage prototypes, and work closely with workshops and suppliers to ensure reliable assemblies and field readiness.