PhD Position on Origami-inspired Shape Memory Microrobots

 You will have the following tasks:

• Modelling, design and simulation of shape memory alloy (SMA) microrobots
• Design and simulation of a suitable SMA microrobots layout
• Rapid prototyping (clean room technology, e.g., optical lithography, 3D printing, laser technology)
• Development, characterization and control of demonstrator variants
• Investigation of the scaling of size and performance
• Addressing miniaturization and scalability to enable real-world applications in medicine

The IMT is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including a 600 m² clean room, advanced rapid prototyping capabilities like lithography, 3D printing and laser cutting, packaging and interconnection technology labs, as well as various metrology laboratories. The position is within the ZEco Thermal Lab of Dr. Jingyuan Xu, and will have a close collaboration of the Research Group ‘Smart Materials and Devices’ of Prof. Manfred Kohl, and the DFG SPP project “Cooperative Multistage Multistable Microactuator Systems (KOMMMA)”. 

The activity offers the opportunity for a part-time doctorate.

Persönliche Qualifikation

• MSc in mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, robotics, physics, or a related field
• Knowledge in the fields of robotics, origami-inspired systems, and microfabrication technologies
• Experience in clean room processes, microscale design, or biomedical devices is advantageous
• Experience in CAD, lumped element modelling and/or FEM simulation and/or MATLAB programming, thermal characterization, mechanical testing is desirable
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in English (spoken and written)
  

Salary

Salary category 13, depending on the fulfillment of professional and personal requirements.

Organisationseinheit

Contract duration

3 years

Application up to

31.12.2025

Contact person in line-management

For further information please contact Dr. Jingyuan Xu, email: jingyuan.xu@kit.edu 

Job type/category

• Fixed-term position

Favored career stage

• Job experience > 2 years

Location/region

• Karlsruhe city, Karlsruhe region

Sector

• Other

Language at workplace

• German

Type of company

• Scientific institution