Scientific Staff in the Field of Simulation and Structural Development 80 – 100 %

Scientific Staff in the Field of Simulation and Structural Development 80 – 100 %

Within the Light Weight Design (LWD) group at the Institute of Mechanical Systems (IMES), you will conduct challenging simulations for complex mechanical systems and non-routine questions.

Department: School of Engineering

Start of work: September 1, 2025, or by agreement. The employment is initially limited to 1 year, with the option for extension.

• Collaboration in application-oriented, publicly funded research projects with internal and external partners in the field of simulation and structural development
• Definition and execution of implicit and explicit FE simulations on the institute's own cluster, as well as presentation of results and derivation of targeted measures in terms of project progress
• Independent management of the subproject "Simulation" in the R&D projects
• Assistance in the acquisition of public or R&D projects in third-party funding
• Conducting internships for mechanical engineering students in the bachelor's program if needed
• Engineering or natural sciences university degree (ETH, TH, TU, FH) with a master's degree and proven relevance to structural mechanics (statics, strength theory, numerical methods, etc.)
• Solid knowledge and user experience with explicit and implicit FE simulations, preferably with Abaqus and LS-Dyna
• Experience in creating own routines in Python or Matlab
• Experience with questions regarding strength, dynamics, crash, etc., or generally in the design of highly loaded, highly dynamic, or safety-relevant structures
• Willingness and enjoyment in the technical and commercial management of smaller projects
• Flexibility, curiosity, perseverance, and the ability to independently familiarize oneself with new topics
• High motivation to advance current lightweight construction issues with the LWD group
• Good German language skills in spoken and written form, English skills are an advantage

The ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest multi-disciplinary universities of applied sciences in Switzerland, with over 14,000 students and over 11,000 continuing education participants, as well as around 3,700 employees.

The IMES focuses on highly stressed structures in three areas of expertise, with the LWD area specifically dealing with the structural mechanics of aircraft and rail vehicles, as well as highly dynamically loaded structures. The core competencies are the development of weight-optimized structures using numerical methods such as FEM and FSI, explicit FEM simulation with various hydrocodes, multiphysical optimization, as well as design and prototype construction.

The ZHAW is committed to gender-mixed and diverse teams to promote equality, diversity, and innovation. To increase the proportion of women in leadership positions, applications from women are particularly welcome.

We offer university-appropriate working and employment conditions and actively promote the personal development of our employees and leaders. A detailed description of the benefits can be found on the website "Working at ZHAW". Here are the key points:

Yeliz Sevinc

Recruiting Manager