Contribution
The Materials in Transition (MATR) Lab at the School of ENAC, EPFL, is seeking a self-driven and inquisitive scientific assistant to start between August and October 2026, in the field of sustainable construction.
The research project explores how biological structures and mechanisms can inspire the development of next-generation natural materials and interfaces for sustainable construction. You will work closely with the MATR lab team to investigate novel material formulations, fabrication approaches, and characterisation methods to develop materials with tailored functional properties. The research will focus on understanding structure-property relationships and evaluating the potential of these materials for applications in the construction sector. The overarching goal of the project is to develop materials that deliver the required functional performance (e.g., mechanical, moisture management, durability, thermal performance) while promoting resource efficiency across multiple lifecycles.
MATR Lab
The incoming candidate will be part of a growing and dynamic research team at the MATR lab, led by Prof. Rebecca Hartwell, where we seek to:
- Integrate resilience into the design and application of construction materials in response to evolving socio-economic challenges, such as climate change, social equity, occupant health, and strategic independence in material supply-chains.
- Develop comprehensive digital assessment methods to evaluate whole-life material flows and their associated impact across sectors to inform policy and practice.
- Engineer whole-life adaptability at the product-scale through material science and design.
