100%, Zurich, fixed-term

ETH Zurich’s Energy and Technology Policy Group (EPG) is seeking two doctoral researchers in the field of Innovation and Policy of Energy Storage. Led by Prof. Tobias Schmidt and Prof. Bjarne Steffen, EPG is an interdisciplinary research group investigating the role of public policy in technological change.

Project background

The positions are part of the project ’Grid- scale Energy Storage: Imperatives for Accelerating the Green Transition (RESTORATIVE)’, under the Marie Sklodowska- Curie Action (MSCA) Grant Agreement No. 101227219. The RESTORATIVE consortium trains 17 PhD candidates at 7 universities and 4 companies. The project has a total of 16 beneficiary and associated partners from 10 different European countries.

All 17 PhD projects fall within the overall theme of grid-scale energy storage technologies, but investigate the topic from different perspectives, including technological development, reliability and security, integration and coupling, socioeconomic and environmental assessment, as well as policy and regulation.

Job description

• The doctorates will be conducted within the Einstein School’s doctoral program. The positions are for three years, starting in September 2026.
• Content and methods: While it is clear that energy storage technologies are key to enabling a low-carbon energy system, it remains open which technologies will become competitive in which applications. In applications with a storage duration of up to eight hours, Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) have become dominant. However, these technologies are much less competitive in longer-duration applications.
• The two PhD positions at ETH Zurich will therefore focus on the competitiveness of various long-term stationary energy storage technologies. To this end, they will apply and further develop innovation theory-based frameworks and system dynamic modelling.
• Using these tools, they will also analyze the role of potential trade disruptions to inform energy policy, industrial policy, and geopolitical strategies.
• As part of the MSCA program, the students will be interning with Siemens Energy’s storge division and participate in an academic exchange with the Energy Systems Lab at Imperial College London.

Profile

• Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in industrial engineering, energy engineering, innovation studies, technology management, or economics/public policy with an energy/technology focus. Interdisciplinary candidates are welcome.
• You should be dedicated to scientifically rigorous work that at the same time is relevant to decision makers in the public and private sectors.
• Your working style is team-oriented and you are proficient in English.
• IMPORTANT: The MSCA supports researchers’ mobility. Therefore, according to the MSCA rules, only candidates who have spent less than 12 months in Switzerland in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.

Workplace

We offer

• Entrepreneurial research atmosphere within a dynamic team at continental Europe’s leading research university. The students will be supervised by Prof. Schmidt (main supervisor) and Prof. Bjarne Steffen (second supervisor).
• Candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to EPG’s research agenda and are encouraged to co-advice master’s students and potentially doctoral students.
• As a member of ETH’s Albert Einstein School of Public Policy and ETH’s Energy Science Center, our group benefits from frequent interactions with leading scholars in other energy- and policy-related fields.
• Furthermore, we collaborate with other national and international academic and policy institutions (e.g., CMCC, the MIT, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and the World Economic Forum).

Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich

We value diversity and sustainability

In line with our values , ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us - we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future .

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application by 26 April 2026 with the following documents:

• Letter of motivation
• CV
• Contact information of two references (no recommendation letters required at this point)
• University and high-school diplomas or transcripts, and a sample of your written work (e.g., your master or bachelor thesis)

All nationals can apply, an existing work permit for Switzerland is not required at time of application. We strive to implement equal opportunity at hiring. There is one recruiting process for both positions, so please do not apply twice.

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Questions regarding the positions should be directed to Prof. Schmidt by email: tobiasschmidt@ ethz.ch (no applications; also, we cannot consult you regarding your application or engage with you over the phone).

We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.

Apply online now

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.