PhD Researcher / PhD Researcheress

PhD Researcher

100%, Singapore, Fixed-Term

The Singapore-ETH Centre was established in 2010 by ETH Zurich - The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Singapore's National Research Foundation (NRF), as part of the NRF's CREATE campus. As ETH Zurich's sole research centre outside of Switzerland, it has enhanced the research capabilities of ETH Zurich to devise sustainable solutions to global challenges in Switzerland, Singapore, and the surrounding regions.

Located in Asia, within a rapidly urbanising context, the Singapore-ETH Centre aims to deliver practical solutions to some of the most pressing challenges related to urban sustainability, resilience, and health through its programmes: Future Cities Lab Global (FCL Global) and Future Health Technologies (FHT).

The centre acts as an intellectual hub for research, uniting principal investigators and researchers from various disciplines and backgrounds. To foster the exchange of ideas and expertise, our researchers actively collaborate with universities, research institutes, industries, and government agencies to translate knowledge into practical solutions for real-world challenges.

Project Background

FHT2 is an NRF-CREATE programme co-funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), ETH Zurich, and NHG-NTU, representing the second phase of the FHT initiative launched in 2020. This programme unites psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, engineers, and clinicians to create next-generation digital health solutions.

The PhD candidate will join the Monitoring and Supporting Cognitive Health in the Community project, which focuses on developing and deploying an AI-powered mobile platform designed to assess, monitor, and support cognitive health during real-world navigation. This platform integrates cognitive and navigation assessments, smartphone sensor data, and AI-driven conversational agents to detect early signs of cognitive impairment, deliver personalised support, and promote ageing in place. The project is closely aligned with Healthier SG and the Action Plan for Successful Ageing, with well-defined pathways for translation through partnerships with organisations in Singapore.

Job Description

The successful PhD candidate will contribute to the scientific development, implementation, and evaluation of a mobile app. Working within a highly interdisciplinary team comprised of psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, clinicians, and data scientists across the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the PhD student will actively engage in collaborative research activities and contribute to the mobile platform's development.

Key Responsibilities:

• Contribute to empirical studies in community and clinical settings.
• Support data collection and analysis across multiple modalities (behavioural, cognitive, sensor-based, and conversational).
• Assist in the iterative development and validation of the AI-powered mobile platform.
• Participate in preparing ethics applications, study protocols, and research documentation.
• Collaborate closely with senior researchers, clinicians, and community partners in Singapore.
• Engage in scientific writing, including manuscript preparation and conference presentations.
• Present research findings at national and international venues.
• Work with cutting-edge technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), Large Geospatial Models (LGMs), and multimodal sensor data.

Given the translational nature of the project, the position offers excellent opportunities for professional development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and contributions to meaningful health innovations that support successful ageing in Singapore.

Profile

• Applicants must hold a Master's degree (or be near completion) in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Human-Computer Interaction, or closely related disciplines.
• Strong technical expertise in machine learning and deep learning is essential, with demonstrated experience through coursework, research projects, or publications.
• Proficiency in working with Large Language Models (LLMs) and practical experience in processing multimodal data, including sensor data, audio, and video.
• Solid programming skills and the ability to implement and evaluate AI systems using real-world data.
• Experience or strong interest in navigation research, spatial cognition, or related cognitive domains is desirable, as is familiarity with mobile application development for Android and iOS platforms.
• Knowledge of Large Geospatial Models (LGMs) or geospatial data processing is an advantage.
• Prior experience in interdisciplinary research environments, particularly those involving psychology, neuroscience, or clinical applications, is valued.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, excellent written and spoken English, and the capacity to work collaboratively within an international, multidisciplinary team.
• A willingness to engage with researchers from diverse backgrounds and contribute to empirical studies involving community and clinical populations.
• Motivation for translational research with real-world health impacts and a commitment to rigorous, ethical research practices.

Workplace

The Singapore-ETH Centre is an equal opportunity and family-friendly employer. All candidates will be evaluated on their merits and qualifications, without regard to gender, race, age, or religion.

We Value Diversity and Sustainability

In line with our values, ETH Zurich promotes an inclusive culture. We advocate for equality of opportunity, value diversity, and nurture a working and learning environment where the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Sustainability is a core value for us – we continually strive for a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So Are We.

We invite you to apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.