- Location
- Schild Rust-Strasse 17 (View map)2540 GrenchenSwitzerland
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Industry
- Fine Watches & Horology
- Posted
- Oct 23, 2026
About ETA
ETA is a benchmark of Swiss horological expertise, renowned for designing and producing precision movements that power many of the world’s most respected watches. As part of the Swatch Group, the manufacture combines industrial excellence, technical innovation, and a deep respect for traditional watchmaking savoir-faire. As an employer, ETA offers a highly specialized environment where engineers, micromechanics, technicians, and operational talents contribute to products defined by reliability, accuracy, and refinement. The company values discipline, craftsmanship, continuous improvement, and collaborative expertise, providing careers at the heart of Switzerland’s watchmaking ecosystem and the future of mechanical and quartz movement technology.
ETA is seeking a Tribology and Materials R&D Engineer for an 80%–100% position in its Research & Development department in Grenchen. The role manages development projects and technical support in tribology, conducts characterization analyses, evaluates and implements solutions with laboratories and production, and provides technical expertise to internal departments and Swatch Group companies.
Role & Responsibilities
- Manage development projects and provide technical support in tribology, with a particular focus on lubrication processes and lubrication instructions for quartz movements.
- Conduct characterization analyses using optical profilometry and tribometry.
- Identify opportunities, propose solutions, and lead their evaluation and implementation in close collaboration with laboratories and production departments.
- Provide technical expertise in the relevant field to internal departments and Swatch Group companies.
Qualifications
- Dynamic and creative, with an open mind and a strong sense of responsibility.
- Comfortable interacting with others and motivated to work as part of a team.
- Native French or German speaker, with good knowledge of the other language and motivation to communicate in both.
- Good knowledge of English is an advantage.
Skills
Experience
A few years of experience in tribology is an advantage.
Education
Master's-level engineering degree from a University of Applied Sciences (HES) or an equivalent qualification.
Workplace
This position is based in Grenchen, Solothurn, Switzerland, within easy reach of Biel/Bienne.
Explore jobs in Solothurn or in Switzerland.
Culture
ETA offers a workplace culture rooted in Swiss precision, technical mastery, and continuous innovation within the watchmaking industry. As an employer, it fosters collaboration between engineers, artisans, and production specialists, valuing reliability, quality, and the transmission of specialized expertise across generations.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like ETA, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Tribology and Materials R&D Engineer», «Materials Research Engineer», «Tribology Specialist», «Materials Engineering Researcher», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.