Postdoctoral Researcher - Neurostimulation for Stroke Rehabilitation

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability worldwide. Although improved early stroke response has reduced mortality, it has also produced a growing population of stroke survivors, intensifying the demand for long-term rehabilitation and placing a substantial clinical and economic burden on healthcare systems. Because today’s neurorehabilitation model relies heavily on resource-intensive, therapist-led care, meeting this demand will require scalable, cost-effective solutions that extend beyond the clinic and into the home. To address these needs, the first phase of the Future Health Technologies Programme (FHT1) at the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) (https://fht.ethz.ch) developed and piloted innovative upper limb rehabilitation technologies and evaluated them in clinical settings, both in hospital and in the homes of post-stroke subjects. Building on this foundation, FHT2 aims to scale up these technologies and carry out more extensive clinical evaluation, paving the way for technology-based clinic-to-home rehabilitation to be integrated into Singapore’s healthcare system.

Another limitation of conventional rehabilitation is that it rarely addresses the root cause of impairment directly: the injured brain and its motor and sensory pathways. Research has shown that rehabilitation can be made more efficient by using neurostimulation to drive specific patterns of brain activity, and one promising, scalable approach is transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), which stimulates the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (VN) at the outer ear in a safe, non-invasive way. In close collaboration with the spin-off Skaaltec, the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory of ETH Zurich has developed SmartVNS (https://relab.ethz.ch/spin-off/skaaltec.html), a novel system for automated, movement-paired taVNS. SmartVNS pairs a wrist-worn motion tracker with a shoulder-worn stimulator over a wireless link: it autonomously processes arm-movement data and delivers taVNS through a custom-built earpiece electrode at precisely the right moments, promoting well-timed, short-term neuroplasticity.

Within FHT2, this project pursues three objectives: (i) to further explore the mechanistic effects of taVNS and optimise stimulation parameters and timing for maximal response in post-stroke subjects; (ii) to demonstrate the feasibility and clinical applicability of automated, movement-paired taVNS built on the SmartVNS system; and (iii) to investigate the clinical potential of taVNS as a rehabilitation intervention for stroke patients, first in a clinical environment during conventional therapy and later at home, in combination with robotic technologies developed within FHT2.

As a postdoctoral researcher, your work will focus on the clinical translation of SmartVNS (https://relab.ethz.ch/spin-off/skaaltec.html), an automated, movement-paired transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) system. Following a user-centred approach considering the needs and requirements of post-stroke subjects and input from clinicians, you will design and conduct feasibility studies of movement-paired taVNS across the continuum of neurorehabilitation care, in inpatient, outpatient and home settings, and investigate its mechanistic and therapeutic effects on upper limb motor recovery. The work will be performed in close collaboration with our research partners at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).

Your tasks will include:

• Designing and conducting feasibility studies of movement-paired taVNS using the SmartVNS system across inpatient, outpatient and home-based neurorehabilitation settings, assessing patient setup, device functionality, comfort, protocol adherence, tolerance and usability for both patients and therapists.
• Validating algorithms for real-time movement detection and taVNS stimulation triggering, and tailoring stimulation parameters, timing and thresholds to individual impairment levels.
• Investigating the mechanistic and therapeutic effects of taVNS on neuroplasticity and upper limb motor recovery in post-stroke subjects, where relevant using neurophysiological methods (e.g., EEG, TMS) directly in patients, as part of the accompanying patient-based neuroscience research.
• Evaluating the combination of taVNS with robotic rehabilitation technologies (e.g., the RELab tenoexo hand exoskeleton that will be further developed within FHT2) during clinical and home-based task-oriented training.
• Clinical validation in post-stroke subjects in collaboration with local hospitals, including direct interaction with patients and therapists, and the collection and analysis of clinical, behavioural and physiological data.
• Designing and conducting clinical studies, collecting and analysing data, and ensuring compliance with ethical and regulatory requirements.
• Tightly collaborating with PhD researchers and project partners across the FHT2 programme, including a behavioural intervention supporting adherence to home therapy.
• Contributing to the supervision of PhD researchers, master students and technical staff.
• Disseminating research outcomes at international conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

You will have:

• A PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, Neurophysiology, Bioengineering or a related field
• A strong interest in neurorehabilitation and in translating neurostimulation and rehabilitation technologies into clinical practice
• Experience in designing and conducting clinical or human-subject studies, ideally in neurorehabilitation, and strong knowledge of human movement science, usability evaluation and study design
• Understanding of neurophysiology and neurophysiological methodologies such as TMS and EEG, as the project also involves accompanying neuroscience research carried out with patients
• Experience with the collection and analysis of physiological and biosignal data, and ideally wearable sensor / IMU data
• Strong interest in applied translational research and the direct clinical application of rehabilitation technologies
• Motivation to work with clinicians and with post-stroke subjects
• Prior experience in supervising students in the context of research projects
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
• Independence and “get things done mentality”
• Scientific curiosity and motivation to perform scientifically rigorous experimental work
• Desire to expand knowledge and acquire new expertise, work in an international environment

We seek candidates who take ownership of their research and are able to independently drive ideas forward. Successful applicants will actively engage with supervisors and collaborators, seek input when needed, and thoughtfully integrate feedback.

• Accredited with 5 Tripartite Standards by Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) Singapore.
• A diverse workplace with 32 nationalities, offering ample opportunities for mutual learning.
• Positive and inclusive working environment.
• 25 days of annual leave for fixed-term contracts.
• 1 day of Birthday Leave.
• Annual dental benefits.
• Committed to being a supportive employer as you prioritize your physical and mental wellness.
• Comprehensive healthcare insurance coverage.
• Flexible hybrid work arrangement (up to 2 days per week from home).
• Abundant networking opportunities across various disciplines.
• Accredited with NS mark certification.

The Singapore-ETH Centre is an equal opportunity and family-friendly employer. All candidates will be evaluated on their merits and qualifications, without regards to gender, race, age or religion.

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.