Dr. Alex Sixie Cao (currently Postdoc at Empa and ETH Zurich) will join as an Assistant Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore - from July 2026. We are currently recruiting multiple PhD students & Postdocs. NTU CEE ↗
Join us
We welcome motivated bachelor, master, and PhD students, postdocs, and visiting scholars interested in the safety and evolution of the built environment. People with backgrounds in structural engineering, probabilistic methods and risk engineering, infrastructure systems, decision theory, game theory, agent-based modelling, complexity economics, or related fields are encouraged to get in touch. Information about the open positions can be found here (PDF).
Positions are based at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore with a starting date in August 2026. Information about the admission requirements can be found here.
Research directions
- Reliability and robustness of structural and infrastructure systems
- Risk acceptance and safety in a changing climate and society
- Risk-informed decision-making for structural and infrastructure systems
What we value
- Curiosity, motivation, independence, collaboration, and an open research mindset
- Analytical thinking and programming skills (Python or similar)
- Background or strong interest in mechanics, reliability, decision theory, or related areas
What we offer
- Multiple fully funded scholarships for PhD students at a world-leading research-intensive university
- A collaborative, international research environment with close links to standardisation committees
- Opportunities for meaningful impact on structural safety, climate mitigation, and intergenerational welfare
How to apply
Send an application containing: (i) a brief motivation statement; (ii) CV; (iii) academic transcripts; and (iv) contact details of two referees to rislab@alexcao.org with the subject line: PhD application | Your Name | Topic. More information about the topics can be found here (PDF).
Prospective bachelor and master students are also welcome to send a short email outlining their background, interests, and preferred timeframe.