MSCA Doctoral Network PhD student / MSCA Doctoral Network PhD student

MSCA Doctoral Network PhD Student (100%)

The Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST) is an esteemed intercantonal and interstate university of applied sciences with campuses located in Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona, and St. Gallen. With a strong emphasis on developing future-oriented specialists and managers, we offer excellent Bachelor's and Master's degree programs alongside state-of-the-art continuing education courses. Recognized as a leading institution in application-oriented research, development, and services, we are committed to excellence in education.

We are currently seeking a:

MSCA Doctoral Network PhD Student (100%)

The “Training Wind Energy Experts on Digitalisation (TWEED)” Doctoral Network aims to nurture the next generation of researchers equipped with both technical and complementary skills necessary for impactful careers in wind energy digitalisation. Co-funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska Curie Doctoral Networks Programme, TWEED offers 12 Doctoral Candidates positions designed to provide high-level training in the emerging field of Wind Energy Data Science and Digitalisation.

This doctoral candidate project, titled “Novel Methods for a Knowledge Graph Generation Approach within TWEED’s Virtual Wind Farm Hub,” seeks to investigate, design, and implement a knowledge graph generation approach for TWEED's Virtual Wind Farm Hub. This open platform will facilitate the exchange of datasets, research results, and applications, enabling domain experts and data scientists to prototype new services.

Due to its status as a Swiss University of Applied Sciences, OST is unable to matriculate or confer PhD degrees. Therefore, the PhD student will be enrolled at ETH Zurich under the supervision of Prof. Eleni Chatzi (Chair of Structural Mechanics and Monitoring), alongside main supervisor Dr. Sarah Barber at OST (Institute of Energy Technology), with support from Prof. Mitra Purandare at OST (Institute for Software).

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Completed Master’s degree in a technical field such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or computer science, or equivalent (at the time of appointment).
• Students in their final year of a Master’s degree are encouraged to apply, but should note that if selected, they will be expected to start their PhD in the first quarter of 2025.
• Understanding of basic knowledge engineering concepts, including knowledge graphs, semantic web, ontologies, and semantic artifacts.
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, and Java.
• Interest and ability to contribute to interdisciplinary projects, particularly at the interface of computer science and engineering.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Basic communication skills in German or a willingness to learn.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Willingness to adhere to the mobility plan of the programme, including conducting secondments at the host institute.

Optional Qualifications:

• Experience with tools such as Spring, Node.js, Angular, React, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, or TensorFlow.
• Experience in wind energy.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• At the time of recruitment, applicants must not hold a doctoral degree or equivalent.
• Applicants may be of any nationality; however, they must not have resided or conducted their main activities (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to the appointment. Short stays such as holidays or compulsory national service are excluded from this criterion.

We Offer:

• An opportunity for professional and research-based development within a motivated and performance-oriented team.
• A dynamic work environment with diverse responsibilities and creative opportunities.
• An attractive workplace located by the shore of Lake Zurich, in close proximity to Rapperswil train station and the historic town.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

More Information

For additional details about the position, please visit this link.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Sarah Barber at sarah.barber@ost.ch.