Automation Engineer

EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs more than 6,500 people supporting the three main missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of more than 18,500 people, including over 14,000 students and 4,000 researchers from more than 120 different countries.

Mission

We are offering a position as automation engineer in the Group of Energy Materials at EPFL, Sion. Our highly interdisciplinary Lab (20 FTE, 1/3rd PhD candidates, 1/3rd postdocs, 1/3rd engineers) is part of the EPFL Mechanical Engineering Institute and specialised since 30 years in fuel cell and electrolysers, especially for high temperature (100 °C, protonic and anionic exchange membrane polymers). Our fully equipped diagnostics lab mounts and investigates fuel cells / electrolysers, from components and single cells up to stacks and small systems (10 - 50 kW), testing durability/performance and identifying degradation phenomena. Experimental work is assisted by modeling and simulation on different levels.

We are looking for someone to complement our engineering team. We design and build different customized test benches to characterize our fuel cells, electrolysers, and more complex integrated systems including heat exchangers, chemical reactors, gas recirculation, safety sensors etc. This requires automation, control programming, defining electrical panel layouts, use of electrochemical testing devices such as impedance spectroscopy, power electronics.

Main duties and responsibilities

As a project engineer, you will be expected to:

• take a lead and responsibility for your tasks
• program code for complex instrumented installations, and commission them
• participate in conception, design, and execution
• analyse and interpret experimental results
• research in close collaboration with industrial and academic partners
• participate in supervising student projects, if time allows

More specifically, within our projects, you will:

• help in laying out electrical panels of main components of our different demonstrator installations and new test benches
• help in modifying our test benches electrical panels and adapt them to new requirements
• help in programming the control (PLC) of those demonstrators and test benches
• integrate impedance measurement equipment and electrically safe connections
• implement advanced control algorithms

Profile

 BSc or MSc in Electrical Engineering/Automation (EPF / HES)

• Prior professional experience with similar duties
• Experience in electrical design and PLC programming
• Prior experience using TwinCAT (Beckhoff) and Labview is an asset
• Experience in norms (OIBT, machine directive, ...) and safety programming is an asset
• Prior familiarity with fuel cells, electrolysers, chemical reactors is a plus but not a must.
• Good communication skills and working as part of a team
• Enthusiasm, curiosity, motivation, reactivity, organizational skills, rigor in experimental work
• At least good command of English and preferably also of French (though not mandatory for French)

We offer

• Employment at a renowned institution ranked among the leaders in engineering and technology
• Support for professional development through training and continuous learning opportunities.
• Supportive and flexible work environment promoting work-life balance
• Language courses relevant to your role
• International multilingual working environment
• Discounts on public transport

Informations

 

Your application should contain:

o A motivation letter
o Your detailed CV
o Contact information

o Names and contact information of 2 or more references willing to write a recommendation letter

 

Application deadline: Apr 15th 2026
Contract Start Date: June 1st, 2026 or as per mutual agreement

 

Activity Rate Min: 80%
Activity Rate Max: 100%
Contract Type: yearly renewed
Duration: up to 5 years

 

For more information, please contact: jan.vanherleepfl.ch, romain.jordanepfl.ch, thibault.macherelepfl.ch, sinclair.augereauepfl.ch, florian.bersetepfl.ch, chantal.donagheyepfl.ch