Daylight Integration Nexus DINx, ETH Zürich

The Department of Architecture (DARCH) invites three excellent postdoctoral fellows for 18 months each to take the next step in their careers, forming their independent research fields at the Daylight Integration Nexus (DINx). We call for proposals in the areas of:

Call

Are you an excellent and highly motivated researcher in occupant-centric daylighting, ready to expand and integrate your expertise into the wider context of pressing research domains in building and urban design, and thriving to formulate and develop your own research field? Have you identified a compelling research opportunity by intersecting your demonstrated expertise in daylighting with other active research domains at the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA) at ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture (DARCH), i.e., digital fabrication, adaptive building components, or building envelopes? Then our 18-month fellowship on integrative research in occupant-centric daylighting and building and urban design presents an unique opportunity to independently design and carry out systemic research and teaching in a field that is set by you, as part of the Daylight Integration Nexus (DINx) initiative at DARCH. Apply with your independent research project idea, which you would like to pursue at the DINx at ETH Zürich!

Requirements

  • PhD in engineering, architecture, or another relevant discipline
  • Experience in relevant daylight research (demonstrated by publications or PhD thesis)

Responsibilities

  • Independently conduct research integrating occupant-centric daylighting in other active research domains at DARCH, in particular at ITA and LUS
  • Active role in teaching formats at DARCH, e.g., lectures and design studios, and supervision of theses
  • Dissemination of results and contribution to outreach activities within and beyond DARCH, e.g., contributions to one Daylight Academy Conference, one symposium and one open lecture at DARCH

Online application

Application Form

(until February 28th 2026)

Call

Do lighting and daylight play a central role in your excellent practice-based research in architecture, the arts, or design? And are you ready to make an impact by expanding and integrating this expertise into the wider context of pressing research domains, changing the way we design future buildings and cities? This 18-month postdoctoral fellowship on integrative research in the art and design of daylight offers the unique opportunity to shape and carry out your own systemic research and teaching at the intersection of your practice-based expertise with any other domains in building and urban design, that are actively researched at the Department of Architecture (DARCH) at ETH Zurich. Apply with your independent research project idea which you would like to pursue at the DINx at ETH Zürich!

Requirements

  • Experience in practice-based research in the art and design with light and daylight, or relevant research (demonstrated by project portfolio, publications, or PhD thesis)
  • Masters degree in architecture, urban design, arts, or another relevant discipline, PhD preferred

Responsibilities

  • Independently conduct research integrating the design and art of daylighting in context of other active research domains at DARCH, in particular at ITA and LUS
  • Active role in teaching formats at DARCH, e.g., lectures and design studios, and supervision of theses
  • Dissemination of results and contribution to outreach activities within and beyond DARCH, e.g., contributions to one Daylight Academy Conference, one symposium and one open lecture at DARCH

Online application

Application Form

(until February 28th 2026)

Call

Are you an excellent and highly motivated researcher, ready to define your very own field of research by questioning how we design buildings and cities of the future based on your cutting-edge findings about the role of daylight for human health and well-being? Can you translate your demonstrated expertise in the biomedical or health sciences so that you can not only collaborate with experts from other domains in building and urban design, but also guide students at the Department of Architecture (DARCH) at ETH Zurich? Then our 18 months fellowship on translational research in daylighting for health and well-being presents a unique opportunity to independently design and carry out systemic research and teaching in a field that is set by you, as part of the Daylight Integration Nexus (DINx) initiative at DARCH. Apply with your independent research project idea, which you would like to pursue at the DINx at ETH Zürich!

Requirements

  • PhD in the biomedical or health sciences, or other relevant disciplines
  • Experience in relevant daylight research (demonstrated by publications or PhD thesis)

Responsibilities

  • Independently conduct research at the intersection of health and building science
  • Active role in teaching formats at DARCH, e.g., lectures and design studios, and supervision of theses
  • Dissemination of results and contribution to outreach activities within and beyond DARCH, e.g., contributions to one Daylight Academy Conference, one symposium and one open lecture at DARCH

Online application

Application Form

(August 1st to October 31st 2026)

Background

The Daylight Integration Nexus (DINx) is an initiative of the Department of Architecture (DARCH). The fellow will be hosted by the chair of Architecture and Building Systems (A/S) at the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA) in collaboration with the Chair of Architecture and Urban Design at the Institute of Landscape and Urban Studies (LUS). A/S investigates passive and active systems for energy supply and climate control in buildings, aiming for an understanding of how building systems and materials interact with architectural design and people. The A/S Zero Carbon Building Systems (ZCBS) Lab provides a unique platform for experimentation under local or emulated, global climates, that complements the ample opportunities offered by the ITA in particular in the area of digital fabrication, and applied projects and case studies conducted by LUS. Supported by Velux Stiftung, the A/S group has joined forces with the Chair of Architecture and Urban Design to form the DINx, a platform to integrate daylighting into research and teaching at DARCH.

Projected starting dates for the fellowships "Integrative research in occupant-centric daylighting" and "Integrative research in the art and design of daylight" are from 1st April to 1st September 2026, and for the fellowship "Translational research in daylighting for human health and well-being" 1st January to 1st April 2027 or upon agreement.

The Daylight Integration Nexus at the Department of Architecture

DINx is a platform to intersect and expand daylight research and teaching at ETH Zurich's DARCH, supported by the Velux Stiftung. Over the course of three years, we will explore the integration and translation of selected topics in daylighting into other, active research domains at DARCH and especially at ITA from a systemic perspective. DINx will host three post-doctoral fellows. The fellows will explore novel approaches to integrate daylighting into other active research domains at DARCH; and to translate between research on health effects of daylight and building sciences. Coordinated by the DINx, the fellowships leverage and inform the laboratories and workshops at the Institute of Technology in Architecture, where findings shall materialize and be tested.

What we offer

Become part of ETH Zurich, one of the world's leading universities in science and technology with 22 Nobel laureates, 2 Fields Medalists, 3 Pritzker Prize winners, and 1 Turing Award winner as alumni. DARCH is ranked 4th in the global 2025 QS World University Ranking by Subject, with ITA as a leading multi-disciplinary platform for research and teaching technology in architecture. ITA hosts unique experimental facilities, including the NCCR Digital Fabrication and the Zero Carbon Building System Laboratory for daylight and integrated systems research, and the Digital Design Lab. LUS provides access to unique applied project frameworks in urban transformation.

Application process

We look forward to receiving your complete online application, which shall include:

  • Motivation letter outlining your interest in the position and relevant qualifications.
  • Research proposal with clear statement of objectives, expected outcomes, and schedule, including how your project would link to ongoing research and facilities at ITA or LUS (max. 2500 words excl. references), as a PDF.
  • CV and publication list, highlighting selected publications that are relevant for the proposed research.
  • Copies of relevant diplomas and work samples.
  • Two reference contacts or reference letters.

Further information about the Department of Architecture can be found on our website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Ms. Kindler-Gordon, kindler@arch.ethz.ch (no applications).

From now to February 28th, 2026 applications will be accepted for the fellowships:

From August 1st to October 31st, 2026 applications will be accepted for the fellowship:

  • "Translational research in daylighting for human health and well-being" Application Form

Please note that applications must be submitted exclusively through our online application portal; submissions via email or postal services will not be considered.

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

For recruitment services the GTC of ETH Zurich apply.