PhD Position in modeling social and environmental performance of buildings (ETHOS)

EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe
and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs more than 6,500 people supporting the three main
missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working
environment at the heart of a community of more than 18,500 people, including over 14,000 students and 4,000
researchers from more than 120 different countries.

PhD Position in modeling social and environmental performance of buildings (ETHOS)

Mission

The ETHOS Lab (Engineering and Technology for Human Oriented Sustainability) is seeking PhD students to work on
projects related to inference, modeling, and optimization of social and environmental performance of commercial
buildings.


Hybrid working and other evolving patterns of behavior have added an additional layer of complexity to optimal
management of building spaces and the organizations who use them. To address this complexity, we must expand our
understanding of human experiences, performance, and well-being in buildings. Our research will therefore involve the
development of tools and methods for better characterizing occupant behavioral dynamics in buildings and the social and
environmental performance of buildings, leveraging survey-based and data-driven methodologies. Students will have the
opportunity to engage in real-world analysis and experimentation in partnership with the Smart Living Lab at EPFL
Fribourg, where ETHOS is based.

For more information, consult the following links:

- EPFL
- ENAC
- Smart Living Lab
- ETHOS

Main duties and responsibilities

- Perform research in human-building dynamics for social and environmental sustainability under the guidance of Prof.
Sonta
- Lead and contribute to academic publications in journals and at conferences
- Completion of coursework as required by the doctoral program
- Contribute to teaching, master project supervision, and mentoring of junior ETHOS students

Profile

- Master’s degree in relevant field (e.g., civil engineering, architecture, computer science, related engineering or
design fields)
- Interested in human-centered and sustainable design of the built environment
- Skilled in data science and/or willing to develop those skills further
- Self-motivated and wiling to learn new things
- Strong English writing and oral communication and willing to develop these skills further in an academic context
- Experience with academic research and publication is a plus

We offer

- World-class research and learning environment at the Smart Living Lab at EPFL Fribourg and at the EPFL main campus
- Opportunities to conduct studies and experiments on human-building interactions in real-world environments
- Opportunities to attend and present work at international conferences
- Competitive salary

Informations

Start date: September 2024 (negotiable)

Work rate: 100%

Duration: 1-year fixed-term contract, renewable for up to 4 years

To apply please include a single PDF file containing the following documents:

- Brief letter of motivation and interest (max 2 pages)
- CV
- Contact details of 2-3 references
- Grades/transcript (unofficial or official) from bachelor and master studies

Screening will start on July 10 and the position will remain open until filled.

For more information or questions, please contact: andrew.sonta@epfl.ch (no application sent to this address shall be
considered)