Applied Research Software Engineer - GenAI R&D for Future-Proof Teaching
80%-100%, Zurich, permanent
The GenAI-R&D for Future-Proof Teaching group at the ETH AI Center (Zürich-Oerlikon) is dedicated to developing fully open-source systems that revolutionize the way students learn and instructors teach.
Project Background
Having successfully supported 2,000 students per semester with the first-generation Ethel ecosystem, we are now scaling EthelFlow (agent-based core) and EthelApp (front-end for desktop & mobile) to accommodate 20,000 students across a wide array of STEM courses. This platform integrates large language and vision models with symbolic math and statistical tools, enhanced by agent-based human-in-the-loop workflow management to deliver:
- Course-specific chatbots
- Automatic practice problem generation
- Feedback on handwritten or programming exercises
- Assistance in grading handwritten exams
You will collaborate closely with faculty, staff, and master's students at ETH, transforming applied research ideas into robust, production-quality code. Our processes are lightweight and agile, emphasizing short goals, rapid iterations, and direct interactions with instructors and stakeholders, along with ample pair-coding opportunities with students. Expect a strong focus on user impact and code quality, without the burden of heavyweight Scrum rituals.
Job Description
Your core responsibilities will include:
- Hands-on product development with a focus on shipping new features in a React and TypeScript front-end optimized for both desktop and mobile users.
- Extending Python-based agent pipelines (e.g., LangGraph) and integrating various large language models (LLMs) and multimodal vision models.
- Building and maintaining specialized data flows for recognizing handwritten mathematics, diagrams, and code, while managing systems that provide timely feedback or rubric-based scoring.
- Designing clean, modular APIs for open-source contributions, actively reviewing pull requests, enhancing documentation, and fostering a vibrant contributor community.
- Taking ownership of Linux servers operating within Docker Swarm, automating builds and deployments via GitHub Actions, and strengthening monitoring and logging systems to ensure reproducibility.
- Evaluating emerging models and tools for R&D prototyping, swiftly developing proofs of concept, and strategically transitioning successful ideas into production-ready solutions.
- Engaging in collaboration and mentoring through pair programming with master's students, sharing best practices, and working closely with course instructors to iteratively refine projects.
Profile
Required Skills & Experience
- Proficiency in modern React (Hooks, responsive design) and strong TypeScript skills.
- Solid Python expertise, alongside familiarity with Node.js for implementing services and agent logic.
- Confident with Linux and skilled in Docker Swarm (compose-to-swarm workflows, secrets, volumes, overlay networking).
- Comfortable using LaTeX for math-heavy content.
- Experience connecting LLMs and multimodal models (prompting, RAG, structured output).
- Competence in Git and GitHub Actions (or similar) with a test-as-you-go mindset.
- Able to work on-site at ETH Zurich (primarily in Oerlikon) at least three days per week on average, with flexibility for remote work on the remaining days.
- A master’s degree in computer science, applied information, data science, or another STEM degree with relevant experience.
- Excellent spoken and written English.
- A strong sense of curiosity.
Nice to Have
- Conversational German for campus interactions.
- Experience with Kubernetes or other container-orchestration tools.
- Familiarity with R and Maxima.
- Experience with interactive homework or learning-content management systems.
- Background in handwriting recognition, exam workflows, or computer vision.
- Notable open-source contributions, particularly in ed-tech.
- Understanding of Swiss or European university teaching contexts.
Workplace
Our modern office is located in the ETH AI Center, just a few minutes from Zürich-Oerlikon station.
We Offer
- Impact: Influence how thousands of ETH students learn and how faculty teach.
- Publication Opportunities: Contribute to open-access papers in leading journals.
- Cutting-Edge Stack: Access to the latest open-source and commercial models (Azure AI), GPUs, and academic collaborations.
- Learning Budget: Support for conference travel and paid time for exploration.
- Flexible Schedule: Core collaboration days on-site; remote-friendly otherwise.
We Value Diversity
In alignment with our values, ETH Zurich promotes an inclusive culture, fostering equality of opportunity and valuing diversity. We nurture an environment where the rights and dignity of all staff and students are respected. For more details, please visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website.
Curious? So Are We.
We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:
- Resume/CV
- Degree certificates
- A brief document (maximum one page) sharing your initial ideas, impressions, and constructive feedback about the early-stage codebase at EthelFlow and EthelApp
Apply online using the form below. Note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.
About ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specializing in science and technology, renowned for its excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research, and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. More than 30,000 individuals from over 120 countries experience an environment that promotes independent thinking and strives for excellence. Situated in the heart of Europe while forging connections globally, we work collaboratively to develop innovative solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.