IAESTE Internships

Location

Switzerland

Internship type

ON-SITE

Reference number

CH-2026-000054

Students Requirements

General discipline

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Material Engineering and Sciences
Physics and Physical Sciences

Completed Years of Study

2

Fields of Study

Languages

English Good (B1, B2)

German Good (B1, B2)

Required Knowledge and Experience

-

Other Requirements

Craftmanship and hands-on aptitude.

Work Details

Duration

43 - 52 Weeks

Within These Dates

01.05.2026 - 31.08.2027

Holidays

NONE

Work Environment

-

Gross pay

2300 CHF / month

Working Hours

41.0 per week / 8.2 per day

Living Lodging

Type of Accommoditation

Employer

Cost of lodging

810 CHF / month

Cost of living

1650 CHF / month

Work Offered

Additional Info

EU/EFTA passport required.

Work description

The Building Integration Group in Empa's Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components strives to create novel solutions for a more sustainable built environment, which is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally. We are working, amongst other topics, on materials for energy efficiency, on the utilisation of more readily available and sustainable raw materials for buildings and on the mitigation and reversal of greenhouse gas emissions. With a young, driven and solution-oriented team, we do so both on the level of basic research and in close collaboration with industry. We offer an internship position for a project on the research, development and upscaling of biochar-based materials to mitigate climate change. The goal is to turn low-value biomass into biochar for the creation of biochar-based materials. Possible applications include biochar-based thermal insulation, biochar-based building materials and biochar for plant substrates. All approaches have in common the end-of-life of the material in the soil in order to realise a long-term carbon storage. Thus, CO2 is removed from the atmosphere so that this solution contributes to climate change mitigation. This mission is driven forward by a highly motivated team with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, material science and pyrolysis. One aspect of the project will be the upscaling of materials for the building application, with a planned implementation in an actual building, the Empa building demonstrator NEST (nest.empa.ch), by the end of 2026. This will take into account technical and normative requirements, market demands and economic considerations. Different synthesis routes will be explored, adapting and optimising these based on the desired material characteristics such as thermal conductivity, compressive strength, moisture uptake. Suitable candidates need to have a strong drive to help create a more sustainable future as well as a solid background in chemistry, chemical engineering or material science. Furthermore, an aptitude for craftsmanship, practical skills and a strong initiative in developing new ideas will be necessary for the daily research and development. Ideally, after an introductory period, the candidate will also bring in their own ideas towards the above stated goals. Preferences of the candidate for specific aspects of the project (e.g. which application to work on) will be taken into consideration and followed if they can be aligned with the project goals.

Deadline

27.03.2026