PhD Position on “Integrated Circuit and System Design for Bioelectronics and Biosensors”

The Integrated Devices, Electronics, And Systems (IDEAS) Group of ETH Zurich invites applications for one PhD position in the field of bioelectronics and biosensors (with a focus on integrated circuit design).

This PhD position focuses on the designs, implementations, and demonstrations of integrated circuits with new circuit topologies and system architectures to advance CMOS-enabled biomedical applications.

Potential topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Design of high-performance analog/mixed-signal integrated circuits and architectures for multi-modal sensing/stimulation/actuation array
• Developing novel circuits architecture for electrical-/electrochemical-/optical-/magnetic-based molecular/cellular detection
• CMOS and post-processing co-designs for novel biomedical applications
• Developing circuits and architectures for wireless implantable devices in-vitro or in-vivo
• Applying AI/ML methods (on-chip, on-FPGA, or off-chip) for signal processing the high-throughput sensor readout or for design and optimization of post-processing structures

The ETH IDEAS Group, led by Prof. Hua Wang, is a world-leading research group in the field of integrated circuits and systems for bioelectronics and biosensors. The team offers extensive experience and capabilities in bio-molecular sensing, CMOS post-fabrication, integrated circuits, packaging, etc. Our current and past PhD students regularly publish at flagship conferences and journals and have found carrier opportunities both in top universities and industry.

The ETH IDEAS Group is part of the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (D-ITET). More information can be found on the group website.

This PhD position is jointly funded by EU grants, Swiss national grants, as well as ETH Zurich internal funding. The research involves close collaborations with industry and university groups in Switzerland, EU, and US. 

You will be responsible for designing, prototyping, and testing novel analog/mixed-signal integrated circuits and/or systems using advanced IC technologies. You will be collaborating with colleagues from the post-processing/fabrication side to decide the top-level system architecture and implementation details. You will be responsible for performing packaging and building measurement setups. Also, you will be responsible for the project meetings, reporting, scientific publications, conference/seminar presentations, and involving in proposal writing. Further, you will be expected to facilitate the teaching and occasionally deliver lectures in English at ETH Zurich.

Excellent moral character and mature/healthy personality.

• MS in Electrical Engineering or equivalent
• Strong interests in the interdisciplinary bioelectronics-oriented research 
• Research and publication track record in bioelectronics and biosensors is a plus
• Research and publication track record in analog, mixed-signal, and/or RF, mm-Wave integrated circuit design is a plus
• Independent individual who can both craft and lead new research projects and work collaboratively on team projects
• Excellent communication skills in English (the IDEAS team’s working language)
• Tapeout experience is a plus
• Knowledge in biology and biomedicine is a plus

We also would like you to bring the following competencies in line with ETH Zurich’s values:

• You act responsibly and professionally
• You can drive innovations, e.g. by
  • Being courageous, open, and curious
  • Being flexible and adaptable to change
  • Exploring new ideas, solutions, and technologies
• You live inclusivity by treating all people equitably
• You build bridges, e.g. by
  • Communicating effectively inside or outside of our IDEAS research group
  • Seeking opportunities to collaborate

At ETH IDEAS Group, we value knowledge exchange and collaborative working environment as a highly interdisciplinary and international research team. We provide a wide variety of training opportunities at the cutting edge of RF/mm-Wave electronics research.