Doctoral researcher position in the SNSF Research Project "Digital Construction Archive"

We are searching for a doctoral researcher (f/m/d) within the framework of the research project "Digital Construction Archive" starting February 2025 or upon agreement. This project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and will be led by Construction Heritage and Preservation, ETH Zürich in collaboration with the ETH Materials Hub and Material-Archiv. The research is also supported by the NCCR Digital Fabrication. The “Digital Construction Archive” research project includes a further PhD position and a postdoctoral position, both of which have been filled.

The radical turn from industrial to digital design and production has led to a paradigm shift in architecture, and it impacts the possibilities to preserve the resulting objects as much as its construction and design. Knowledge about building materials, construction techniques and production processes are currently being transferred into the digital realm. But how are buildings to be maintained or upgraded if digital data becomes lost, if no or only rudimentary information concerning material or construction is available, or if this information can hardly any longer be gathered using the methods of traditional building research? The SNSF research project "Digital Construction Archive" aims to develop strategies to ensure the long-term preservation of architecture produced using digital means. To these ends the project analyses the demonstrators realised by the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication and will setup a prototype for a digital construction archive in collaboration with project partners.

The doctoral dissertation will elaborate strategies for the conservation of the material heritage of digitally fabricated architecture by analysing the maintainability and reparability of the constructions realised within the framework of the NCCR Digital Fabrication. The dissertation examines the material preservation of building parts produced using additive procedures such as 3D printing. Through an iterative process the doctoral researcher will formulate case studies to gain insight into the fabrication process and assess the repairability of such constructions. These case studies will also facilitate the planning of repairs for building elements and entire structures, thereby contributing to the authentic preservation of the material heritage of digitally fabricated constructions. 

Within the research project, you will take on a topic for the dissertation which will be conceived based on the research proposal, together with the project leadership. You will independently elaborate research results in the form of lectures, peer-reviewed journal articles and book publications. You will also participate in the organization of workshops and conferences. In addition to your research, you will support the teaching activities of the chair relevant to your dissertation topic.

• You have a Master's degree or equivalent in disciplines related to architecture, civil engineering, or materials science and have a strong interest in construction heritage and digital fabrication
• You have an understanding of both traditional and novel construction methods and processes
• You enjoy work in a team, can communicate across disciplines and take initiative
• You can speak and write in English fluently and can also communicate in German
• You possess good academic writing and communication skills or are interested in gaining qualifications in these areas 
• Experience in computational design and programming is an added value 

We are an interdisciplinary team of researchers in the fields of architecture, preservation, art and architectural history, building research, innovative building technologies and sustainability. With this position, you will have the opportunity to build skills and gain qualifications in the areas of scholarly research, writing, publishing, and outreach.