Project Engineer / Project Engineeress

Project Engineer - Additive Manufacturing of Plastics

80%-100%, Zurich, Permanent

Inspire AG is the leading Swiss competence center for product innovation and advanced manufacturing. As a strategic partner of ETH Zurich, our mission is to transfer knowledge and technology from research to the Swiss machine, electrical, and metal industries.

The research group in additive manufacturing at Inspire, in collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Lab (amlz) at ETH Zurich, offers a position focused on advancing the field of additive manufacturing.

Project Background

Our team develops advanced materials and sustainable processing strategies for polymer and ceramic additive manufacturing. A key focus is exploring energy-efficient production routes and enhancing the reliability and quality of laser powder bed fusion (PBF) for plastic components.

Job Description

We are seeking a Project Engineer to lead a new R&D project aimed at increasing the efficiency of feedstock production and reducing overall energy consumption in powder-based AM processes. This role includes material development, testing and evaluation, coordination with industrial partners, and contributing to long-term research planning within the group.

Your Tasks

• Lead a multi-year project on energy-reduction strategies in PBF of plastics (whole chain).
• Develop and test new materials, additives, and processing strategies, including printing and testing of parts.
• Plan and execute laboratory experiments (incl. DoE) with meticulous documentation.
• Characterize powders and printed parts (thermal analysis, flowability, properties & fatigue).
• Coordinate with industrial and academic partners (ETH) and support technology transfer.
• Prepare proposals, publications, and conference abstracts, including a PhD proposal.
• Supervise students at bachelor’s and master’s levels.

Profile

Required Experience

• CH/EU/EFTA citizenship or a valid work permit for Switzerland.
• Project experience in an industrial context preferred.
• Master’s degree in materials, AM, polymer engineering, chemistry, or related fields.
• Experience with polymers, additives, fatigue/durability testing, and additive manufacturing.
• Experience with powder bed fusion of plastics is preferred.
• Skills in material characterization (microscopy, mechanical testing, DSC, rheology).
• Excellent command of English; proficiency in German is advantageous.
• Experience in proposal writing or publication writing is a plus.

Required People Skills

• Highly self-organized and structured way of working with solution orientation.
• Strong motivation to learn and contribute to new research topics.
• High level of teamwork, a positive work attitude, and creativity.

Workplace

We offer a full-time position for a researcher, with the opportunity to pursue a PhD thesis at ETH. Through close cooperation with our project partner, you will quickly establish valuable contacts within the industry. In our dynamic team, you will work at the forefront of multi-material additive manufacturing.

Curious? So are We.

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

For technical inquiries, please contact Dr. Daniel Werner, Head of Additive Manufacturing at Inspire St.Gallen (daniel.werner@inspire.ch). Please also visit our websites Inspire and Advanced Manufacturing.