Educational Support Engineer

The Global Health Engineering (GHE) group is based within the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zurich. Our group does not have any mechanical engineers but is composed of environmental engineers, economists and social scientists. Our work is transdisciplinary and all research focuses on environmental and human health in resource-constrained countries. We are guided by the SDGs, with a focus on 6, 11, and 12.
The GHE group of Prof. Elizabeth Tilley is seeking an Educational Support Engineer.
We are looking to hire an individual who wants to stay in this position and help us grow as we expand over the coming years and decades. Ideally, you will be able to start on 1st May, though we will consider your personal situation. 

As part of the GHE team, you will be responsible for supporting the technical aspects of our research by assisting students (BSc, MSc, PhD) with the design, production and testing of equipment/sensors/prototypes both in Switzerland and in our countries of focus (Malawi, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda). Furthermore, you will be staying on top of innovations in low-cost engineering and integrating the opportunities and needs into student work. In addition, you will be setting up, stocking, and managing our student-focused design lab. In this position, you will be managing the day-to-day supervision of BSc and MSc students: from ideation to implementation to publication.

This job is for you if you:

• love to tinker, design and build products and machines
• enjoy setting up and operating your own workshop:  managing resources/stock; maintaining/ordering equipment 
• are passionate about working with students and helping them realize their full potential as conscious and creative researchers
• have experience working in low-resource settings: making use of what’s available; figuring out a plan B
• are interested in applying your skills to some of the world's most difficult, but important problems: water, sanitation, air quality, soil conservation, and solid waste management
• are willing to travel approximately 10% of the time (almost always with students)
• are a clear writer and detailed-oriented editor with the ability to support students to produce and publish excellent work
• are not focused on self-authored publications or a conventional research career, but have experience in publishing and are keen to translate research into practice, and practice into policy
• have ideas about workshops/summer school/design events that we could operate with our numerous partner universities
• have a PhD in mechanical engineering or a related field

We are a small and committed team of fewer than ten people with a collegial culture. We value transparency, openness and believe it is important to share our knowledge with others in formats beyond just publications. We reflect on our work and constantly improve it. We believe that the world can be improved with open data.
Our collegial and respectful interaction creates a pleasant working atmosphere and room for new ideas. In addition to a central work location in Zurich with plenty of room and sun in your office, you have the opportunity to work occasionally from home. The employment conditions are based on the university guidelines. They include, for example, five weeks' vacation, a wide range of training and continuing education opportunities. ETH offers a competitive salary, based on education, experience and potential.