PhD Position in Vehicle Sensor and Remote Sensing Analysis for Road Safety

Opportunity to Engage in Innovative Research for Urban Road Safety

The Chair of Infrastructure Management, led by Professor Dr. Bryan T. Adey within the Institute of Construction and Infrastructure Management, is inviting passionate individuals to engage in critical research aimed at enhancing urban road safety through advanced technologies.

Project Background

This initiative is part of an extensive EU Horizon project that promotes safe active mobility by employing a human-centered, evidence-driven approach. The project seeks to shift focus from traditional crash-centric models to a broader perspective, capturing near-miss incidents, dynamic interactions among road users, and the overall safety experience which influences transportation choices.

By integrating multi-source data, immersive eXtended Reality (XR) experimentation, and explainable Artificial Intelligence (AI), this project addresses safety-critical situations that are often underreported. It aims to develop harmonized assessment methodologies, predictive models, and validated indicators that foster the evaluation and comparison of interventions among various stakeholders involved in road safety.

Key Responsibilities

The selected candidate will contribute to advancing sensor and remote sensing data fusion methodologies, focusing on urban transport safety analysis. Core responsibilities include:

• Designing and implementing a scalable sensing pipeline for processing multi-source vehicle sensor and remote sensing data streams.
• Training machine learning and computer vision models to automate the detection of infrastructure characteristics impacting micromobility safety.
• Generating structured, high-quality data outputs for spatial mapping and risk diagnosis capabilities.
• Collaborating with international partners to validate and enhance the developed pipeline using real-world data from pilot projects.

Desired Profile

• A Master’s degree in urban analytics, artificial intelligence, computer science, transport planning/engineering, geomatics, or a related field.
• Proficiency in machine learning, computer vision techniques, statistics, and signal processing.
• Strong programming skills in environments such as R and Python, along with expertise in GIS tools.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken), with knowledge of German as an advantage.

Work Environment

ETH Zurich, a leading institution in science and technology education and research, is known for its commitment to innovation and excellent academic standards. With a vibrant community of over 30,000 staff and students from around the globe, ETH Zurich promotes an environment that values independent thinking and collaboration.

Commitment to Diversity and Sustainability

ETH Zurich upholds an inclusive culture that values diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. It is committed to ensuring a respectful and supportive environment for all individuals. Sustainability is integrated into its core values, with ongoing efforts directed towards achieving a climate-neutral future.

Further Information

The opportunity to participate in this innovative project not only promises personal and professional growth but also contributes to the overarching goal of safer urban environments. Explore more about our institute to better understand our commitment to excellence in construction and infrastructure management.