Doctoral/Postdoctoral Researcher, Power Management and Precision References

About the role

The Energy-Efficient Circuits and Intelligent Systems Group (EECIS) at ETH Zurich's Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering invites applications for a doctoral or postdoctoral position in fully integrated power conversion and precision on-chip references. It is part of an international industry-academia project developing a next-generation single-chip RGB-D image sensor for robotics. The group works on the core analog blocks of the sensor chip, including a fully integrated DC-DC converter and a bandgap reference with an on-chip temperature sensor.

Key responsibilities

• Develop the architectures and specifications of the on-chip DC-DC converter, bandgap reference and temperature sensor in close exchange with the industrial chip design partner.
• Investigate new techniques for high-density, fully integrated power conversion and for precise, low-power references and temperature sensing.
• Design, layout and tape out the circuits in advanced CMOS technology, and characterize the chips in the group's measurement lab.
• Refine the designs based on measurement results and support their integration into the sensor SoC.
• Publish results at leading venues and present them at international conferences.
• Contribute to the group's teaching activities.

Required profile

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field, with excellent grades.
• Solid background in analog integrated circuit design.
• Experience with power management ICs, DC-DC converters, voltage references or sensor interfaces is a strong advantage.
• Ability to work independently and in an international team spanning academia and industry.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Required skills

• Hands-on experience with Cadence Virtuoso or similar tools.
• Experience with EM simulation, tape-outs or lab measurements is a plus.

What we offer

• A research project with a clear path from idea to silicon to a real robotic application.
• Close collaboration with industrial partners and with robotics research at ETH Zurich.
• A complete IC design and verification environment.
• Tape-out support from the ETH Microelectronics Design Center, with access to advanced CMOS processes through multi-project wafer runs.
• An own measurement lab and the low-noise labs of the Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center.

Applications must be submitted online through the university's application portal by 30 November; the start date is 1 February 2027 or upon agreement.