Chemical and Materials Engineer: Programmable

_[french below]_

**Chemical and materials engineer**
Programmable Matter M/F - Fixed-term contract (18 months)

**Context**
The FEMTO-ST institute (Franche-Comté Electronics Mechanical Thermal and Optical - Science and Technology) is a joint research unit associated with the CNRS (UMR 6174) and attached simultaneously to the University of Franche-Comté (UFC), the National School of Mechanics and Microtechnology (SUPMICROTECH-ENSMM), and the Belfort-Montbéliard University of Technology (UTBM). The team at the Complex Systems Informatics Department (DISC) is an expert in multi-agent distributed system algorithms for the reconfiguration of objects from one shape to another, known as Programmable Matter.

Following several research projects, the FEMTO-ST laboratory and the University of Michigan have joined forces to create a start-up company, PHIGI, based on the development of a new energy-independent electrostatic actuator technology for Programmable Matter.

The use of electrostatics in modular microrobotics has shown a promising ratio of attachment forces to energy consumption for the actuation of very small-scale modules or particles. This new type of actuator would enable thousands of microrobots to automatically assemble to form interactive models, accelerating the design of products and buildings.

The aim over the next few months is to improve the existing electrostatic actuation system, moving on from simple attachment to the movement of autonomous modules.

**Job description**
As part of the start-up's development, the FEMTO-ST laboratory is looking for a chemical and materials engineer on an 18-month fixed-term contract financed by the Burgundy Franche-Comté Region. You will be hired by the University of Franche-Comté in Montbéliard (France) and will be in direct collaboration with the startup and the University of Michigan. This position can then be converted into a permanent contract, recruited by the start-up.

**Your main tasks are as follows**:

- Specify reference components and methods, manufacture electrostatic actuator prototypes in cleanroom conditions, and carry out physico-chemical, qualitative and quantitative analyses.
- Work with our in-house expert in numerical modeling before and after testing.
- Steer the various stages of the development process through to industrialization, defining industrial processes and quality criteria.
- Build a demonstrator for moving modules by electrostatic actuation.
- Consolidate partnerships and networks for component assembly and manufacturing.
- Collaborate with marketing and sales on the added value of the solution.

**Location**: Institut FEMTO-ST, Université de Franche-Comté, Montbéliard

**Salary**: €40,000 / year

**Culture and benefits**: phigi.io/about

**Qualifications**
- PhD in chemistry, or master’s degree with at least 3 years' experience in chemistry, a specialization in electrochemistry is a plus.
- Additional training in management or marketing highly appreciated.
- Experience with thin-film material deposition machines and clean-room microfabrication preferred.
- You enjoy teamwork, public speaking, and arguing your choices in meetings.
- You are autonomous in managing your tasks and taking initiative.
- You want to be part of a futuristic, instructive project, within an international team at the forefront of its field worldwide, with prospects for rapid career development.
- You have a very good level of written and spoken English (C1).

**Interview process**
- Interview(s) by videoconference with the founders to validate the suitability of your profile.
- Online personality test to make sure you'll thrive in this adventure.
- You will be examined by an accreditation procedure.
- **Ingénieur(e) en chimie et matériaux**
Matière Programmable H/F - CDD (18 mois)

**Présentation**
L'institut FEMTO-ST (Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies) est une unité de recherche mixte associée avec le CNRS (UMR 6174) et rattachée simultanément à l'Université Franche-Comté (UFC), l'École nationale supérieure de mécanique et des microtechniques (ENSMM), et l'Université de technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM). L'équipe du Département d'Informatique des Systèmes Complexes (DISC) est experte dans les algorithmes de systèmes distribués multi-agents pour la reconfiguration d'objets d'une forme à l'autre, connue sous le nom de Matière Programmable.

À la suite de nombreux travaux de recherche, le laboratoire FEMTO-ST et l'Université du Michigan s'associent dans la création d'une startup, PHIGI, s'appuyant sur le développement d'une nouvelle technologie d'actionneur électrostatique autonome en énergie pour la Matière Programmable.

L'utilisation de l'électrostatique dans la microrobotique modulaire a montré un ratio forces d'attachement contre énergie consommée prometteur pour l'actionnement de modules ou particules à très petite échelle. Ce nouveau type