Joelle Ayoub
Robotics · Hardware · SpaceEPFL Lausanne – 2026
Joelle AyoubJA
MSc Robotics · EPFL

Joelle Ayoub

I build robots and space systems from concept to tested hardware, across the full stack: mechanical design, FEM, PCB, and ROS2 software. I'm an MSc Robotics student at EPFL.

Right now I'm leading the build of EPFL's first humanoid robot, designing a CubeSat qualification dispenser, and scouting early-stage startups as a student VC partner. When I'm not building, I love to travel and discover new places, cultures, and people.

LinkedIn Email
Graduation ceremony, EPFL
BSc · Student Associations Award
Welding in the lab
Welding
Presenting Mina to the Swiss and Polish presidents
Presenting Mina · Swiss & Polish Presidents

Practice

01 – Capabilities

Interested in the full stack, from mechanism design to autonomous robots.

01

Mechanical

  • CAD Design: Fusion 360, SolidWorks, CATIA
  • FEM Simulation: COMSOL, Ansys
  • Rapid Prototyping: 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Mold Casting
  • Technical Drawings and Tolerances
  • Flexure Design
  • Conventional Machining: Turning, Milling, Drilling, Welding
02

Robotics & Software

  • Robotics: ROS2, URDF
  • Programming: Python, C++
  • Computer Vision
  • Machine Learning
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Control: PID, State Machine
  • Simulation: Webots, Gazebo, MoveIt!
  • State Estimation: EKF, Kalman Filter
03

Electronics

  • PCB Design: KiCad
  • Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
  • Sensor Integration
  • Soldering and Rework

Selected work

Associations & competition teams
01

SAPIENS Humanoid Robot

Robotics · ROS2 · 3D Printing · RL

Leading a team of 8 building EPFL's first full humanoid robot from the ground up. 22-DoF hardware build, a custom 16-DoF dexterous hand, RL-based locomotion, and VR teleoperation.

View project →
SAPIENS humanoid robot
Feb 2026 – Present
02

Mars Rover – 1st Place ERC

Robotics · ROS2 · SolidWorks

Three years across Structure, Arm & Software. PETG+TPU wheel design and a unified ROS2 arm pipeline. Won 1st among 25 teams at the European Rover Challenge.

View project →
EPFL Xplore Mars rover
Sep 2022 – Aug 2025
03

Firehorn 1 Payload

Aerospace · PCB · Embedded · EuRoC 2025

Payload Division Lead on Switzerland's first cryogenic bi-liquid rocket. Custom KiCad PCB, 3-camera system, and acoustic levitation experiment.

View project →
Firehorn 1 liftoff at EuRoC 2025
Feb – Oct 2025
04

3U CubeSat Qualification Dispenser

Aerospace · Ansys FEM · ECSS

Redesigned a 3U qualification dispenser for vibration testing. Ansys modal analysis placed the first natural frequency at 2060.6 Hz, exceeding the ECSS requirement.

View project →
CHESS CubeSat mission
Feb 2026 – Present

More work

Coursework · internships · side projects
05

Hopper Control

Embedded · Microcontroller · Control
More info coming soon.
Jun 2026 – Present→
06

Autonomous Crazyflie Gate Racing

Python · OpenCV · Webots · Cascaded PID · State Machine
Vision-based gate detection, spatial memory, and fast-lap replay for a Crazyflie in simulation and real flight. EPFL MICRO-502.
Apr – Jun 2026→
07

Legged Robotics – RL Locomotion

Reinforcement Learning · Locomotion · Sim-to-Real
More info coming soon.
Nov – Dec 2024→
08

Thymio Autonomous Navigation

Robotics · Computer Vision · State Estimation
ArUco localization, A* planning, EKF state estimation, reactive obstacle avoidance, and kidnapping recovery.
Oct – Dec 2024→
09

Flexure-Guided Angular Inverter

Mechanism Design · FEM · Flexures
Reduced angular error by 83% via COMSOL FEM and laser-cut prototyping. Instant-Lab, EPFL.
Jul – Aug 2024→

Experience

03 – Roles
Sep 2025 – Present

Student Partner

Founderful Campus · EPFL & UNIL

As one of five student partners, I scout and meet early-stage founders across EPFL and UNIL: 24 startups sourced and 15 founder interviews so far. I led an investment committee through to a yes on a student startup, and I write the memos behind our CHF 25k convertible-loan decisions.

Jul – Sep 2025

Founder's Associate

PAVE Space SA · last-mile satellite delivery

I worked alongside the CEO through the close of a $40M seed round, building the investor data room, pitch decks, go-to-market materials, and grant applications that supported it.

Sep 2024 – Jun 2025

Prototyping Coach

EPFL-SPOT · Lausanne

I coached hundreds of students through the makerspace: 3D printing, laser cutting, machining, and soldering, helping them take their own projects from sketch to a working part.

Jul – Aug 2024

Mechanism Design Intern

Instant-Lab · EPFL Neuchâtel

I designed a flexure-guided angular inverter that cut angular error by 83%, validating the design through COMSOL FEM, laser-cut prototypes, and camera-based experiments.

Jul – Aug 2023

Manufacturing Trainee

ETML · Technical School of Lausanne

My first hands-on workshop role: turning, milling, drilling, and welding parts straight from technical drawings.

Education

04

MSc in Robotics

2024 – 2027
EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne

BSc in Microengineering

2020 – 2024
EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne
★ Exceptional Contribution to Student Associations Award