Embedded Systems Engineer / Embedded Systems Engineeress

Join Our Team at the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab)

At the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab) of ETH Zurich, we are developing ax|ReCover, a modular smartphone-based rehabilitation platform that aims to transform everyday smartphones into intelligent therapy devices for individuals with upper-limb impairments following neurological or traumatic injuries. Our innovative solution integrates modular hardware, embedded electronics, physiological and biomechanical sensing, and mobile software to enhance the accessibility, engagement, and personalization of rehabilitation. We are seeking a new team member who is eager to develop products that make a tangible difference in people's lives.

Position Overview

In the context of an Innosuisse-funded project, we are looking for an Embedded Systems Engineer with a strong electronics background to lead the development and enhancement of the embedded sensing platform for ax|ReCover. The funding for this specific position is limited to 16 months, aligned with specific work packages within the Innosuisse project. You will work closely with our research team, taking responsibility for the embedded firmware and electronics that power our modular rehabilitation system, with the aim of transforming research prototypes into reliable, manufacturable products. This is a highly hands-on role that encompasses embedded software, electronics, sensors, prototyping, and product development in the field of neurorehabilitation technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop embedded firmware for our modular rehabilitation platform ax|ReCover.
• Design, implement, and validate reliable sensor acquisition pipelines.
• Integrate biomechanical and physiological sensors into embedded systems.
• Develop Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication between ax|ReCover and smartphones.
• Implement synchronized sensor acquisition and data streaming.
• Design and iterate electronic schematics and PCBs for new hardware revisions.
• Select electronic components and contribute to electronics architecture decisions.
• Bring up and validate custom PCBs.
• Develop low-level drivers for sensors and communication peripherals.
• Collaborate closely with the research team on electronics integration and prototype development.
• Utilize oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and other laboratory equipment to diagnose hardware and firmware issues.
• Optimize power consumption, communication reliability, and embedded system performance.
• Support electronics testing, validation, and design verification.
• Help establish engineering processes and documentation for future regulatory development.

Qualifications

• An MSc or BSc in Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related discipline.
• Strong C/C++ programming skills.
• Experience developing and testing firmware for ARM Cortex-M or similar microcontrollers.
• Experience with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
• Familiarity with SPI, I²C, UART, ADCs, DMA, interrupts, and timers.
• Experience in designing or iterating custom embedded electronics, including schematic capture and PCB design using tools like KiCad or Altium Designer.
• Experience with bringing up and debugging custom PCBs.
• Strong electronics experience, including the ability to read and understand electronic schematics, digital and basic analog electronics, sensor integration, component selection, and power management fundamentals.
• Proficiency in using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and other laboratory equipment.
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills for both hardware and firmware.
• Experience integrating sensors into embedded systems.
• Willingness to work closely with a small, multidisciplinary research team, and a strong interest in digital health and neurorehabilitation.
• Independence and a proactive attitude, displaying a self-starter mentality and comfort with developing and testing novel ideas.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with first-rate written and spoken English and solid German skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Nordic nRF52/nRF54 or STM32 development, Zephyr RTOS or FreeRTOS, NFC or USB, and low-power embedded design.
• Experience with battery-powered medical or wearable devices.
• Familiarity with medical device development and regulations, including ISO 13485, IEC 60601, or related standards.
• Experience with signal processing, particularly for physiological signals such as EDA (electrodermal activity) or ECG.

What We Offer

We provide a unique and stimulating environment within a small, highly motivated team, with significant ownership over the product and engineering culture. You'll have the opportunity to transition a research prototype into a real, manufacturable medical product used by patients and clinicians, along with close collaboration with clinicians, industry partners, and the RELab research community at ETH Zurich. We offer a competitive salary.

Apply online using the form below.

Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

For further information about ax|ReCover and the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab), please visit our website. If you have any questions regarding the position, feel free to reach out to alexandra.retevoi@hest.ethz.ch (no applications).

We would like to highlight that the pre-selection is conducted by responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.

For recruitment services, the General Terms and Conditions of ETH Zurich apply.