phd at eth

Open positions at ETH Zurich

About 30’000 people from more than 120 countries study, carry out research and work at ETH Zurich. Find out about our current open positions here. Available professorships are advertised here:

Available professorships are advertised on the website Office for Faculty Affairs call_made

112 open positions

• Internship Student Project House: digitalization, programming and student support 60%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 22.08.2024 | ETH Student Project House
• Export Services Spezialist:in (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, unbefristet 22.08.2024 | Procurement & Export Services
• Technical Expert “On-chip Organoid Patterning” 100%, Basel, fixed-term 22.08.2024 | Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE)
• Administrative Assistenz (m/w/d) am Schweizerischen Erdbebendienst und Institut für Geophysik 60%-80%, Zürich, unbefristet 20.08.2024 | Departement für Erd-​ und Planetenwissenschaften
• I+D-Spezialist:in (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 20.08.2024 | Informationszentrum Chemie | Biologie | Pharmazie (ICBP)
• PhD Position in Magnetoelectric Nanoparticles for Enhanced Catalysis 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 20.08.2024 | Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering
• Mitarbeiter:in Stab Professuren mit Fokus Berufungsverfahren (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 20.08.2024 | Stab Professuren
• Hausmeister:in (m/w/d) - Standort Hönggerberg 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 19.08.2024 | Facility Services
• Mitarbeiter:in Campus Info (m/w/d) 50%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 19.08.2024 | Campus Services
• Senior ICT-System-Spezialist:in (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 19.08.2024 | Informatikdienste
• Hausmeister:in (m/w/d) – Standort Zentrum 100%, Zürich, unbefristet 19.08.2024 | Facility Services
• Fachspezialist:in finanzielles Projektreporting (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, unbefristet 19.08.2024 | Finance Desk
• Program Manager CAS Digital Health 50%-60%, Zurich, fixed-term 15.08.2024 | Department of Management, Technology and Economics
• Student Assistant for Unity3D Development 20%-30%, Zurich, fixed-term 15.08.2024 | geoGAZElab
• PhD Position in Biofabrication and 3D BioPrinting 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 15.08.2024 | Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication
• PhD in Machine Learning for 3D Computer Vision 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 13.08.2024 | Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry
• PhD Position - Rethinking Frequency Control in Power Systems 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 13.08.2024 | Power Systems Laboratory and Institute for Automation, D-ITET
• Adminstrative Assistenz Departementsstab (m/w/d) 50%-60%, Zürich, unbefristet 13.08.2024 | Departement Informatik
• Events and Communications Manager 40%-60%, Zurich, fixed-term 13.08.2024 | Quantum Center at ETH
• PhD student in Protein Chemistry and Biocatalysis 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 13.08.2024 | Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences
• Leiter:in HR Beratung (m/w/d) für die Schulleitungsbereiche 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 12.08.2024 | Vizepräsidium für Personalentwicklung & Leadership | HR Beratung
• Information Security Governance Officer mit Fokus Assurance (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 12.08.2024 | Informatikdienste
• Spezialist:in für innovative Automatisierung und nachhaltige Energiesysteme (m/w/d) 60%-100%, Zürich, befristet 12.08.2024 | Power Systems Laboratory and Automatic Control Laboratory, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Business Data Analyst:in / Data Scientist - Institutional Research (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 12.08.2024 | Controlling / Institutional Research
• Student Assistant for the ArtEmis project and FEAR experiment in Bedretto Underground Laboratory 20%-30%, Zurich, fixed-term 09.08.2024 | BedrettoLab (ERDW)
• Coordinator of Hands-On Projects in Automation and Power Systems 60%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 09.08.2024 | Power Systems Laboratory and Automatic Control Laboratory, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Head of People Operations 100%, Lugano, permanent 08.08.2024 | CSCS - Swiss National Supercomputing Centre
• Electrical Engineer 100%, Zurich, permanent 08.08.2024 | Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics
• PhD student in Digital Fabrication and Computational Optimization 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 07.08.2024 | Institute of Intelligent Interactive Systems, Department of Computer Science
• Experimental Biochemist 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 07.08.2024 | Institute of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, Department of Biology
• Fachspezialist:in Kommunikation & Eventmanagement (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 07.08.2024 | D-MAVT Stab
• Office Manager:in (m/w/d) 60%-80%, Zürich, unbefristet 06.08.2024 | Institut für Maschinelles Lernen
• Junior/Mid-Level Sales Representative at Tethys Robotics 80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 06.08.2024 | Tethys Robotics at Wyss Zurich Translational Center
• Field Robotics Operator at Tethys Robotics 80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 05.08.2024 | Tethys Robotics at Wyss Zurich Translational Center
• Microsoft Cloud Engineer mit Schwerpunkt Client Engineering (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, unbefristet 05.08.2024 | ID Customer Experience and Solutions
• Projektleiter:in für evidenzbasierte energiepolitische Kommunikation 80%-100%, Zürich, befristet 02.08.2024 | Science-Policy Interface
• Doctoral Student: Sensing and Controlling the Large-Scale Anaerobic Digestion of Human Excreta to Minimize Health Risks and Carbon Emissions 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 02.08.2024 | Global Health Engineering group at ETH Zürich
• Postdoctoral position - new tools to study colloidal gel aging 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 02.08.2024 | Laboratory for Soft Materials - Department of Materials
• PhD Position in Chemical Biology 2025 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 02.08.2024 | Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences
• Elektroniker:in EFZ (m/w/d) 2025 Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Physiklaborant:in EFZ (m/w/d) 2025 Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Laborant:in EFZ (m/w/d) 2025 - Chemie Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Polymechaniker:in EFZ (m/w/d) 2025 Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Fachperson Information und Dokumentation EFZ (m/w/d) 2025 Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Laborant:in EFZ (m/w/d) 2025 - Biologie Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Kaufmann/frau EFZ oder EBA (m/w/d) 2025 - Branche D&A Zürich, Lehrstelle 01.08.2024 | Berufsbildung
• Ph.D. candidate for modelling & optimising highly efficient drive systems for E-vehicles based on GaN devices 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 31.07.2024 | Laboratory for High Power Electronic Systems / D-ITET
• Ph.D. candidate for designing, modelling & optimising charging systems for E-vehicles based on GaN devices 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 31.07.2024 | Laboratory for High Power Electronic Systems / D-ITET
• Administrative Supportfunktion im Bereich Finanzen (m/w/d) 40%, Zürich, befristet 30.07.2024 | Functional Genomics Center Zurich
• PhD position: Learning from Observations and Experts for facilitating Decision Support for Wind Energy Structures 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 30.07.2024 | IBK, D-BAUG
• Coordinator for Experiential Learning Curriculum 50%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 30.07.2024 | Department of Materials
• Studentische Botschafter:in für Focus Sustainability (m/w/d) 10%, Zürich, befristet 30.07.2024 | Partner advertisement | Focus Sustainability
• Head of Machining Processes 100%, Zurich, permanent 30.07.2024 | Partner advertisement | Inspire AG
• Software Engineer 100%, Basel, permanent 29.07.2024 | Scientific Software and Data Management
• Doctoral position on Macromolecular engineering of covalent adaptable networks 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 29.07.2024 | D-MAVT
• ICT-Infrastruktur Architekt:in (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 25.07.2024 | Informatikdienste, IT Infrastructure
• Administrative Assistenz (m/w/d) am Departement für Biosysteme 60%-80%, Basel, unbefristet 25.07.2024 | D-BSSE
• Student research assistant in Cognitive and Decision Science 10%-30%, Zurich, fixed-term 24.07.2024 | Cognitive Science, D-GESS
• 2 PhD Positions in Environmental Organic Chemistry 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 24.07.2024 | Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics
• Guest Lecturer to teach a Design Studio 70%, Zurich, fixed-term 24.07.2024 | Partner advertisement | Departement Architektur D-Arch
• Studentische Mitarbeiter:in für die Erstellung von Videoaufnahmen von Unterrichtsbesuchen (m/w/d) 10%, Zürich, befristet 24.07.2024 | Abteilung für Lehre und Lernen, Gruppe Lehrentwicklung
• Business Engineer:in im Bereich Lehrbetriebsapplikationen (m/w/d) 70%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 23.07.2024 | Lehrbetriebsapplikationen
• Product Owner:in im Bereich Lehrbetriebsapplikationen (m/w/d) 70%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 23.07.2024 | Lehrbetriebsapplikationen
• Postdoctoral Position in “Developing Fluidic Devices for Protein Sorting and Ionization” 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 23.07.2024 | Institute for Biomedical Engineering (D-ITET)
• Postdoctoral Position in Microbial Systems Ecology 80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 23.07.2024 | Department of Environmental Systems Science
• Leitung technisches Gebäudemanagement (m/w/d) 100%, Basel, unbefristet 23.07.2024 | Facility Services
• Fabrication Engineer for the Development of Superconducting Parametric Amplifier Technology 80%-100%, fixed-term 19.07.2024 | CMi (Center of Micro- and Nanotechnology) at EPFL
• Systems Engineer for the Development of Superconducting Parametric Amplifier Technology 60%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 19.07.2024 | EPFL or ETHZ Hönggerberg
• Wissenschaftliche:r Mitarbeiter:in im Bereich Risikokommunikation (m/w/d) 60%-100%, Zürich, befristet 19.07.2024 | Schweizerischer Erdbebendienst an der ETH Zürich
• Doctoral candidate in cartography / geovisualization / storytelling 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 19.07.2024 | Institute of Cartography and Geoinformation
• PhD student position on “Topological materials at the nanoscale” 100%, fixed-term 19.07.2024 | Partner advertisement | IBM
• PhD position for Social Networks and Digital Cultural Consumption 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 18.07.2024 | DGESS, Social Networks Lab
• Informatikkoordinator:in (m/w/d) 80%, Zürich, unbefristet 18.07.2024 | Laboratorium für Anorganische Chemie
• Doctoral (PhD) student in Karma economies 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 17.07.2024 | Automatic Control Laboratory (D-ITET), Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control (D-MAVT)
• Postdoctoral Researcher for the Development of Superconducting Parametric Amplifier Technology 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 17.07.2024 | EPFL or ETHZ Hoenggerberg
• Postdoctoral Researcher Thermal/Visual Comfort of Advanced Building Envelope System 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 16.07.2024 | Institute of Technology in Architecture - Chair of Architecture and Building Systems
• Leitung (m/d/w) infrastrukturelles Gebäudemanagement 100%, Basel, unbefristet 16.07.2024 | Facility Services
• Doctoral Student in Computational Chemistry 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 15.07.2024 | Computational Chemistry Group - Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences
• PhD position in Reality Capture for Real Estate Valuation 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 15.07.2024 | D-BAUG - IBI - CEA
• Doctoral student in Genomics 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 15.07.2024 | Animal Genomics Group
• Doktorierende in Baugeschichte/Bauforschung (Holzbau/Dachwerk) (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, befristet 12.07.2024 | Professur Bauforschung und Konstruktionsgeschichte
• Interactive graphics in python (Hilfsassistentenstelle) 10%-20%, Zurich, fixed-term 12.07.2024 | D-BIOL Center for Active Learning
• Front-end Research Engineer 80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 09.07.2024 | Swiss Data Science Center
• Software / Systems Engineer 80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term 09.07.2024 | Swiss Data Science Center
• Postdoctoral Position at the Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 09.07.2024 | Department of Management, Technology, and Economics
• Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Health Ethics and Policy Lab 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 09.07.2024 | Institute for Translational Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Technology
• Bioinformatics Analyst in Basel or Zurich 50%-100%, Basel, permanent 08.07.2024 | NEXUS Personalized Health Technologies
• Doctoral Student in the Health Ethics and Policy lab 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 08.07.2024 | Institute for Translational Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Technology
• Research Assistant – Closed-Loop Control in Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 08.07.2024 | Partner advertisement | inspire
• 2 PhD Positions in Designing and Optimizing Materials for Bacterial-Based Sustainable Biopesticide Delivery Systems 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 05.07.2024 | D-MATL, D-BAUG
• PhD position in Molecular Biology & Biophysics 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 03.07.2024 | Institute of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, ETH Zurich
• Analytik–Laborant – Massenspektrometrie (m/w/d) 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 01.07.2024 | D-CHAB, MoBiAS
• Labortierpfleger:in (m/w/d) 50%-100%, Zürich, befristet 01.07.2024 | ETH Phenomics Center
• PhD position in nonlinear laser spectroscopy on novel types of ferroic order and domains 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 01.07.2024 | Department of Materials
• Postdoc Researcher (2 Years) - T150-01201 BE-FIT SEC 100%, Singapore, fixed-term 01.07.2024 | Singapore ETH-Centre
• Research Assistant (1 year) T150-01201 BE-FIT SEC 100%, Singapore, fixed-term 01.07.2024 | Singapore-ETH Centre
• Doktoratsstelle: Dysfunktion der Atmung – Mechanismen und Einfluss auf die Leistungsfähigkeit und Lebensqualität (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, befristet 01.07.2024 | Exercise Physiology Lab, Institut für Bewegungswissenschaften und Sport, Departement für Gesundheitswissenschaften und Technologie
• Doktoratsstelle: Untersuchung der Auswirkungen von sportlichen Aktivitäten bei Patienten mit arrhythmogener rechtsventrikulärer Kardiomyopathie (ARVC) (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, befristet 01.07.2024 | Exercise Physiology Lab, Institut für Bewegungswissenschaften und Sport, Departement für Gesundheitswissenschaften und Technologie
• Hochschulabsolvent:in der Sozialwissenschaften für ein Praktikum an der Dozentur Militärsoziologie (m/w/d) 80%, befristet 01.07.2024 | Partner advertisement | Militärakademie an der ETH Zürich
• Mitarbeiter:in im Bereich Netzwerkinstallationen (m/w/d) 100%, Zürich, unbefristet 24.06.2024 | Informatikdienste, Sektion Infrastructure
• PhD position on "On-Chip Separation of Proteins for Single-Cell Proteome Profiling" 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 21.06.2024 | Institute for Biomedical Engineering (D-ITET)
• ICT-System-Spezialist:in (m/w/d) 60%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 17.06.2024 | Informatikdienste
• Software Engineer (Go) - Open Source Maintainer 80%-100%, Zurich, permanent 13.06.2024 | ETH Spinoff - SCION Association
• HPC Systems Platform Engineer 80%-100%, Lugano, permanent 10.06.2024 | CSCS
• Postdoctoral Researcher in Drug Resistance Evolution 80%-100%, fixed-term 10.06.2024 | Partner advertisement | Eawag
• Software Entwickler:in (m/w/d) mit Fokus auf C# und Automatisierungen 80%-100%, Zürich, unbefristet 04.06.2024 | Informatikdienste, IT Corporate Centre
• System specialist for large storage environments and data sync & share 100%, Zurich, permanent 04.06.2024 | IT Services / Informatikdienste
• Postdoctoral Researcher / Scientific Assistant in Life Cycle Assessment for Circular Engineering for Architecture 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 22.05.2024 | D-BAUG - IBI - CEA
• PhD Researcher in Identification for Circular Construction 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 08.05.2024 | D-BAUG - IBI - CEA
• Storage Engineer (Systems Engineering) 80%-100%, Lugano, permanent 30.04.2024 | CSCS
• Postdoctoral Position at the Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 10.04.2024 | D-BAUG - IBI - CEA
• PhD position in Computer Science for Circular Construction 100%, Zurich, fixed-term 27.03.2024 | D-BAUG - IBI - CEA

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Department of Physics

Doctoral studies.

Doctoral studies are carried out in individual research groups, combining original research with specialised doctorate courses and teaching activities.

ETH Zurich offers outstanding conditions for a doctorate: an innovative atmosphere, state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories, and an environment that inspires the scientific talents of tomorrow.

The emphasis of your work will be to perform independent research, usually as part of a project. The details will depend on the field chosen. It is expected that you publish your results in international scientific journals and that you write a doctoral thesis, which also will be published. All of this work will be done under the supervision of your thesis advisor. Upon successful completion, you are awarded the title "Doctor of Sciences (Dr. sc. ETH Zurich)”.

On these pages you can find information about doctoral studies at the Department of Physics.

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Department of Biology

Master your doctorate.

The program "Master your doctorate" offers various events, workshops and webinars that support doctoral students during their doctorate at ETH Zurich.

At ETH, there are two ways to apply for a doctoral position: direct applications and applications for a graduate school .

Graduate school

17 doctoral programs covering various fields in the life sciences are coordinated under the umbrella of "Life Sciences Zurich Graduate School" together with the University of Zurich. Every year there are two application deadlines: May 1st and November 1st. Applicants who meet the required qualifications will be invited for interviews. Detailed information on each program can be found here: external page www.lifescience-graduateschool.ch call_made

Direct applications

In addition to doctoral programs, there is another way to apply for a doctoral position at ETH: Persons interested in a particular area, can also apply directly to the heads of research groups. Often such positions are advertised on their websites, however even if no advertisement is posted, direct contact can be worthwhile. This page provides information about the different research areas which are covered by D-BIOL researchers. Here you will also find the contact information of the individual professors.

All further information on requirements, admission, and registration procedures are available here:

• for professors
• for future doctoral students

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Department of Mathematics

How to apply for a doctorate.

The external page Zurich Graduate School in Mathematics (ZGSM) call_made offers international applicants the possibility of doing a doctorate at ETH Zurich or the University of Zurich. If you want to apply, please use the external page ZGSM's online application form call_made .

Please be aware that doctorates are in general associated with an offer of employment.

Before registration you must have applied and been accepted by an examiner . Please keep in mind that the hiring process may take some time (2-4 weeks), especially if a visa needs to be obtained (6-8 weeks).

Who can act as doctoral thesis supervisor/examiner?

A doctoral thesis can be supervised by a professor as indicated under Art. 1 of the external page Ordinance on Professorships ETH (only availabe in German) call_made . Privatdozenten resp. Privatdozentinnen working full-​time at ETH Zurich can also act as doctoral thesis supervisors. However, this requires approval from the Department. The required approval form Download Supervision of the Doctorate by a Privatdozent (PDF, 236 KB) vertical_align_bottom must be submitted along with the application for your doctorate. Please note in this context that, where a thesis is supervised by a Privatdozentin resp. a Privatdozent, at least one co-​examiner must be a professor as indicated under Art. 1 of the external Ordinance on Professorships ETH (link see above). Professors can act as examiners in doctoral examinations for up to one year after their retirement. The relevant department (that provides the infrastructure and the funding) is responsible for approving them as examiners after the end of their office. It should be noted that during the first year after retirement or resignation, at least one professor as indicated under Art. 1 of the Ordinance on Professorships ETH (link see above) must be called in as co-​examiner. If the doctoral examination has not been taken after the expiry of this year, retired professors must give up the role of doctoral thesis supervisor and a new supervisor must be decided upon.

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Department of Computer Science

Direct doctorate in computer science.

Our goal is to educate students to become researchers and future leaders in computer science. The Direct Doctorate in Computer Science comprises course and research work. It allows exceptionally well-qualified students holding a Bachelor's degree to join the doctorate programme at the Department of Computer Science.

The programme is tailored to the needs of students aiming at a career in research and interested in pursuing a doctoral degree at ETH Zurich. The Direct Doctorate enables students to explore a wide range of areas in computer science and to become acquainted with the different groups at the department prior to the selection of a topic and a supervisor for the doctoral dissertation.

Students in this programme are entitled to financial support and tuition waivers in the form of a full scholarship during the first two study years and, thereafter, to a competitive salary that covers living expenses in Switzerland. Typically, the completion of the Direct Doctorate takes 5 to 6 years.

The first two years of the programme provide students with advanced methodological and conceptual knowledge in computer science that goes beyond today's state of the art and prepares students for scientific forerunner roles. The studies are structured similarly to a Master's degree, which students obtain upon completion of the credit requirements. Students can choose from a variety of fundamental and elective courses. During the second part of the Direct Doctorate in Computer Science, students focus on their doctoral research and the completion of the dissertation. 

Important Information about the Application Process: Direct Doctorate applicants use the same application tool as master's applicants. Application information can be found here , and the specific requirements for the Direct Doctorate here (see Computer Science MSc). During the application process, you indicate that your application is for the Direct Doctorate Programme. It is, therefore, possible not to be admitted to the Direct Doctorate Programme, but for the Master’s Programme in Computer Science. However, the application cannot be considered for ESOP simultaneously. Note that applications not submitted as outlined above will not be considered.

Download Study Guide "Direct Doctorate in Computer Science" (PDF, 154 KB) vertical_align_bottom

Studies at ETH Zurich

• chevron_right Doctorate at ETH Zurich
• chevron_right New international students
• chevron_right Information about entering Switzerland
• chevron_right Doctoral student and visa situation

Practical information

• chevron_right Forms and documents
• chevron_right Course catalogue
• Download vertical_align_bottom Study Guide, Regulations 2009  (PDF, 2.4 MB)
• Phone phone +41 44 633 42 23

ETH Zurich Department of Computer Science Universitätstrasse 6 CAB H 37.1 8092 Zurich

The Direct Doctorate: A unique opportunity for top international undergraduates

The Direct Doctorate in Computer Science was developed to draw talented undergraduates from all over the world. Six years after welcoming its first two enrolees, the programme now receives more than 100 applications every year. Students and professors testify that direct access to doctoral studies and the great atmosphere at ETH Zurich are large parts of its success.  

Read article

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Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Participation in the Earth and Planetary Sciences doctoral programme provides a stimulating introduction to independent research on a scientific frontier.

An ETH doctorate provides an excellent educational preparation for a career in academic or industry research. A doctoral degree generally takes three to four years with support through a research assistantship.

All degrees, but particularly the Master's and doctoral programmes allow people to study at other universities, either independently or through collaborations and joint programmes such as those at the University of Zurich or the IDEA League of RWTH Aachen and TU Delft. The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences also has extensive research and teaching connections with leading universities in North America and Asia, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and the National University of Singapore.

The formal prerequisite for initiating a doctorate is a Diploma, Master's or equivalent College degree, which includes an independent project equal to the Master's Thesis. To enter the doctorate the thematic basis of the Master is of secondary importance. Doctoral students in Earth and Planetary Sciences are frequently, chemists, physicists or even mathematicians. The candidate's eligibility for one or more departmental research groups is the crucial factor, which determines admittance to the doctorate. In order to determine the eligibility of the candidate for the doctorate a qualifying examination may be required, depending on the professional qualifications of the candidate. Usually the doctoral students are hired as assistants, funded from research grants from government, industry or the ETH Zurich. Prospective doctoral students may participate in the writing of a research proposal during their Master's degree by collaboration with a potential doctorate advisor, thereby participating in the project definition. More frequently, however, project positions are advertised internationally and candidates selected from the international talent pool. All doctoral students contribute to teaching or to the administration of the departmental laboratory infrastructures.

Formal ordinances concerning the doctorate are given in the ETH rules of procedure and the D-EAPS regulations. Further information or documents on doctoral studies are given by the doctoral administration .

Frequently asked questions

The central Doctoral Administration has put together a list of the most frequently asked questions about the new ordinance on doctoral studies .

D-EAPS related information

Your question wasn't answered in the FAQs about the doctorate or in the new documents ? View the FAQ of the D-EAPS Doctoral Administration.

Open doctoral positions

At the department of earth and planetary sciences and associated organisations.

• Phone phone +41 44 632 86 44

ETH Zurich Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences Sonneggstrasse 5 NO D 51.3 8092 Zurich

Appointment

Quick access.

• chevron_right Open positions on the ETH job portal
• chevron_right Registration and admission for an ETH doctorate
• chevron_right ETH Library
• chevron_right AVETH Survival Guide

All doctoral students are automatically members of the Mittelbau association of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VAME) .

The Mittelbau meets regularly to discuss department related matters of interest.

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Dept. of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering

Students in the first year of their doctorate at ETH Zurich are warmly invited to participate in the Introductory programme for new doctoral students , which consists of several events, workshops and seminars distributed between September and November 2022.

The introductory programme offers a great opportunity to get useful information and build up a network of contacts within ETH Zurich!

More information on the new 2022 doctoral ordinance will follow, please refer to ETH's corporate website on the doctorate at ETH Zurich .

Doctoral studies mean catching up with the forefront of research and pushing it further. Doctoral (PhD) students at D-ITET are individually supervised by a professor. Doctoral studies should take about 4 years (beyond the master degree) and must result in a thesis with a definite scientific contribution to research on an international level. A small number of graduate courses (12 ECTS credits) is also mandatory. A doctoral plan (approved by the supervising professor) must be submitted no later than 12 months after the beginning of the doctoral studies.

Research and teaching

Doctoral students at D-ITET generally hold paid positions with one of the research laboratories of the department. In addition to working on their own research project, most doctoral students are also teaching assistants and supervise student projects in the bachelor and master programs.

Further details on the doctorate at D-ITET can be found in the Download presentation of the welcome event for new doctoral students (PDF, 3.3 MB) vertical_align_bottom .

How to apply

Applications for a PhD position should be sent directly to the individual professors . Applicants must have a master degree from a well reputed university. Admission may be conditional on passing one or two courses at ETH.

General information about the doctorate at ETH Zurich.

Information about professors , laboratories and research areas .

• Phone phone +41 44 632 33 36
• contacts vCard Download

Dep. Inf.techno.u.Elektrotechnik ETZ H 87 Gloriastrasse 35 8092 Zurich Switzerland

Legal basis

• chevron_right Legal collection
• chevron_right Directives collection
• chevron_right Ordinance on Doctoral Studies at ETH Zurich
• chevron_right Rector's Implementation Provisions
• Download vertical_align_bottom Detail Regulations for Doctoral Studies at D-ITET (2021)  (PDF, 171 KB)

Links & Downloads

• chevron_right Upcoming meetings of the doctoral committee
• chevron_right Code of Conduct
• chevron_right Respect campaign
• chevron_right Academic Calendar ETH
• external page call_made Career Center
• chevron_right Course catalogue
• chevron_right Doctoral administration office
• chevron_right Doctoral studies at ETH
• chevron_right myStudies
• chevron_right Welcome Center

Associations

• chevron_right AVETH
• chevron_right LIMES - Ladies in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
• chevron_right VMITET

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ETH AI Center  

Eth ai center doctoral fellowships.

The ETH AI Center offers a unique fellowship program for doctoral students, designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and a positive impact to society. 

The ETH AI Center promotes trustworthy, accessible, and inclusive AI systems. For this goal, we bring together interdisciplinary research teams of AI foundations, applications, and implications across all departments and look at AI from many different angles like mathematical principles, medicine, architecture, robotics, and social sciences / future of work. We enable research of high quality, industry innovation, and AI entrepreneurship.

About AI Center fellowships

The ETH AI Center faculty comprises more than 110 professorships representing all sixteen departments of ETH Zurich and five external research groups (from University of Zurich and University of St.Gallen). The ETH AI Center Fellowship program is one of Europe’s premier Post-​Doc programs focused on advancing interdisciplinary AI research. This can be inside AI foundations or between AI foundations and application areas. Fellows work with two excellent PIs who are from different fields and carry equal weights in the supervision.

Your mission

Within the doctoral fellowship program you will conduct research that impacts the future of AI. You will be working on your own project (that you will propose) and continuously have the opportunity to exchange with other teams and professorships, participate at faculty retreats, symposia, summits etc. Fellows have their primary office at the ETH AI Center and enjoy excellent employment conditions. The center offers plenty of opportunities to strengthen your career path through an optional entrepreneurial or industry track that provides you with valuable hands-on experience to turn your research into practical impact.

What we offer

We offer 5 - 8 doctoral positions and the occupation normally runs for three years. For Fellows with good progress, it can be extended for a maximum of one year to complete the doctoral thesis (decision to be taken by the ETH AI Center Doctoral Selection Committee, without additional interviews). Starting date is flexible but typically in September.

• Transparent salary: CHF 72,800 in the first year, CHF 78,000 in the second year, and CHF 83,200 in the third year. The advancements are automatic. The positions are remunerated according to a rate 5 doctoral position at 100% level.
• Co-mentorship by two excellent PIs of different fields
• Training and continuing education activities and language courses
• Services and offerings to support work and family life  

Requirements

• you are expected to have completed or be close to completing a Master’s degree in computer science, machine learning, statistics, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or other relevant fields or are close to completion.
• you have an excellent track record and must meet the general admission requirements for a doctorate at ETH Zurich (available at https://www.ethz.ch/en/doctorate.html).
• your level of English allows you to discuss your topics with your colleagues and report your findings in writing.
• you look forward to working with an interdisciplinary team that longs to find solutions together.

Applications are encouraged from candidates with a keen interest in doing research on interdisciplinary AI topics. Each recipient of an ETH AI Center Fellowship will have the opportunity from two mentors from different fields and often different departments that are envisaged to carry equal weights in supervision. In the application form, candidates can provide preferences for specific mentors and also have to select interest areas in AI foundations and application areas to get a better understanding of a potential research direction.

Candidates select interest areas in AI foundations (AI theory, foundations, methods, and systems) including but not limited to:

• Mathematical or statistical foundations of ML, AI, and Data Science
• Interpretability and Explainability
• Safety, Reliability, and Robustness
• Fairness & Bias of AI Systems
• Computer Vision
• Natural Language Understanding
• Reinforcement Learning and Data-driven Control
• Neuroscientific Foundations
• AI Edge and Networked Computing
• Privacy-Preserving AI Systems
• AI System Design & Engineering

In addition they select interested  AI application areas including but not limited to: 

• AI for Good & Sustainability
• Augmented Reality & Human-Centered AI
• Digital Health & Medical ML
• AI in Finance & LegalTech & Digital Services
• AI in the Sciences & Engineering
• AI in Education & Future of Work
• AI in Industrial & Manufacturing
• AI in Robotics & Autonomous Systems
• AI in Retail & Smart Cities & Mobility

Guidelines & Process

Before applying, please read carefully our Download official guidelines for the ETH AI Center PhD Fellowship (PDF, 68 KB) vertical_align_bottom  and visit our FAQs . Applications for the 2025 cohort will be available in fall. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

More detailed information on the application process can be found on the guidelines page  which also contains a list of the faculty member and their research interests.

Application portal is now closed.

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ETH for Development  

E4d doctoral scholarships.

Engineering for Development (E4D) Doctoral Scholarship Programme

The goal of the Engineering for Development (E4D) Programme is to promote research and education for people in low-income countries.

The E4D Programme is generously funded through the external page Sawiris Foundation for Social Development call_made and the  external page Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. call_made

The grant sum is 200'000 CHF to cover the salary costs of the doctoral students for three years. ETH professors cover the 4th year of the doctoral studies as well as costs related to the research itself.

Please refer to the Download Eligibility and Criteria document (PDF, 236 KB) vertical_align_bottom before applying. 

For more information about finding a supervisor, see this page . 

The 2024 call for E4D Doctoral Scholarship applications has now closed. The next call will open in early 2025. 

• The Download general entrance requirements (PDF, 1.2 MB) vertical_align_bottom for doctoral studies at the ETH Zurich and the respective department must be fulfilled.
• Experience in the selected research area is required.
• Applicants should be citizens of low- and lower-middle-income countries according to the external page OECD DAC-2024-2025 list call_made .
• The doctoral supervisor must be an ETH professor and must have a guaranteed ETH position for the entire duration of the proposed project. Candidates may be co-supervised by advisors at at a Federal Research Instittue (Eawag, Empa, PSI, & WSL), but they must also have an advisorship from a professor at ETH Zurich. 
• It is expected that the ETH Zurich professor supports the candidate in elaborating the full proposal, if the concept note should be selected, and to supervise the candidate, if the full proposal is selected for funding.
• The supervisor confirms their commitment to the project by a letter of support, indicating their financial contribution to the project.
• The research topic is within the thematic scope of ETH Zurich.
• The proposal is a new doctoral project, not complementary funding to an on-going research.
• Subject of the proposed research is the development of methods, technologies, tools or products, which generate a direct impact for underprivileged people in low-income countries.
• The ecological, socio-economic and cultural context is taken into account.
• Projects involving research partners from a low-income country must be based in the external page KFPE Principles for Transboundary Research Partnerships call_made .
• All partners are involved in project formulation and development.
• All partners make a substantial in-kind or cash commitment.
• The project is integrated in the general activities of the involved institutions.
• Projects must include partners from countries on the external page OECD DAC-2024-25list call_made .

Application Documents 

The concept note application must include:

• Completed Download Concept Note Application Form 2024 (PDF, 127 KB) vertical_align_bottom
• CV of the candidate
• Excellent MSc degree from a recognised university and grade transcripts
• Support letter of the supervising professor at ETH Zurich
• 2 reference letters from your field of research
• Relevant own publications or documentation of relevant activities relating to the project
• List of 5 independent reviewers (same field of research, but unknown to candidate and professor)
• Bibliography

Please refer to the Download Eligibility and Criteria Document (PDF, 236 KB) vertical_align_bottom before applying. 

New ETH4D Doctoral Fellowship for Global Impact

After 10 years of successful operation, the E4D Doctoral Scholarship Programme will begin a new phase in 2024.

The programme supports doctoral students from low- and middle-income countries to work on innovations  at ETH  that have the potential to improve the lives of people in poor and fragile regions. 

Fellows have excellent prospects of becoming leaders in sustainable development by taking up important positions in industry, policy or academia, or by putting research into practice through entrepreneurship. 

The E4D Fellows 2023

We are happy to introduce you to E4D´s Doctoral Fellows 2023: Karma Sherub from Bhutan and Tamirat Haile from Ethiopia. Karma strives to find solutions for mitigating human-wildlife conflict in Bhutan to protect agricultural sites and wildlife alike. Tamirat is set on developing a drought-prediction forecast model for the Horn of Africa.

• Fatemeh Adelisardou:  Improving the Sustainability of Food Production under Climate Change: Reinventing Agroecological Rice Farming in Iran
• Sergio Reyes Arriagada : Low-​cost seismic isolation system in in Peru & Cuba
• Tamirat Haile Dessalegn: Drought characterization and forecast in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya und Somalia)
• Andrés Javier Hernández Bello : Development and Implementation of a Multiplexed Point-​of-care Diagnostic Test for Dengue Virus Infections
• Prabhat Joshi : Exploring pluvial flood risks and mitigation options in low-​income, data-​scarce regions
• Jean Modeste Mushimiyimana:  Development of an early warning modelling tool for a large lake affected by methane harvesting, volcanism, and climate change
• Frank Odhiambo : Technology use for educational attainment, health and mental wellbeing for persons with disabilities in Kenya
• Jonathan Olal Ogwang:   Enhancing Anaerobic Digestion Systems for Sustainable Waste Management and Sanitation
• Bigyan Babu Regmi : The impact of energy and financial education programmes on students’ energy-​related financial literacy and energy consumption behaviour in Nepal
• Karma Sherub :  Environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses for monitoring of wildlife species in the mountains of Bhutan
• Helena Ström : Sustainable yam systems in West Africa
• Mosisa Wakjira : Sustainable Food Production in Ethiopia
• Churchill Agutu: Off-grid electricity-based energy services in Rwanda
• BJ Ward: Settling and dewatering of faecal sludge in Tanzania 
• Rebecca Enesi: Sustainable cassava starch in Nigeria
• Kanika Dheman:  Paediatric dehydration in South Africa

2020: 

• Dorothee Spuhler:  Sustainable sanitation planning in Nepal & Ethiopia
• Moritz Gold:  Insect production from biowastes for animal feeds
• Michelle Nay:  Improved bean breeding in Colombia and East Africa
• Andrea Hagn, Urban poor communities in India
• Christian Andres, Cocoa swollen shoot virus disease in Ghana
• Gemma Pham, Point-of-care test for malaria in Vietnam
• Daniela Paganini, Iron-containing micronutrient powder for Kenya
• Alireza Javadian, Bamboo as reinforcement in structural concrete
• Samuel Ndungu, Cowpea inoculation for improved yields in Kenya
• Lindsay Howe, Cooperative development strategies in South Africa
• Ima Zainuddin:  Abiotic stress resistance in cassava in Indonesia

2013: 

• Shanker Barsila, Grazing systems with yak crossbreds in Nepal

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Center for Security Studies

Embedded phd - machine learning advancements to support un peacekeeping.

external page Francesco Re call_made

2024 - ongoing

Francesco Ignazio Re is a PhD candidate at ETH Zurich, jointly affiliated with the Center for Security Studies (CSS) and the external page IVIA Lab call_made at the Computer Science department. He started his doctoral research in April 2024, focusing on the enhancement of machine learning methods for modeling spatio-temporal events, specifically aimed at supporting UN peacekeeping operations. His program is designed as an embedded-PhD with the United Nations to foster trans-disciplinary research, which includes on-site work at UN facilities to foster iterative collaboration with domain experts.

The project benefits from a partnership between the Center for Security Studies and the UN Operations Crisis Center, which provides internal event data to evaluate the effectiveness of machine learning models in predicting imminent violence. This partnership was established in 2021, launching a joint research effort to explore the feasibility of an event-prediction system for UN peacekeeping . Francesco firstly contributed to this collaboration through his master’s thesis, which involved developing a deep-learning model to predict short-term conflict events using techniques adapted from computer vision. Francesco obtained his Master’s degree in Data Science from ETH Zurich and previously completed a bachelor’s degree in Statistics at the University of Padova.

His research interests focus on the task of event-forecasting using diverse data paradigms, including traditional tabular event data, unstructured data from organizational archives, and expert opinions aggregated through bayesian sequential algorithms.

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Electrical Engineering – PhD

Doctor of philosophy in electrical engineering.

Our EE PhD Program has nine research areas students can choose from: circuits and systems, communications, control systems, digital systems, photonic devices and systems, power electronics and energy systems, RF and microwave engineering, signal processing, and solid-state devices and MF. Students seeking a Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering need to select a research area and complete minimum 75 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate.

• Financial Assistance

Ethereum’s bull vs bear case: What’s next for ETH price?

Ethereum price prospects continue to attract mixed views from industry insiders and overall community.

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• ETH bears believe that low fees, L2 fragmentation, and competition from BTC and SOL could dent price prospects. 
• However, ETH bulls foresee a long-term demand and value appreciation for the altcoin. 

Ethereum [ETH] has had a bittersweet price action in the current market cycle. Between late 2023 and early 2024, the largest altcoin rallied over 150%, jumping from $1600 to $4K. 

However, overall market headwinds and the SEC’s mixed signals on ETH’s security status in Q2 2024 dented its sentiment. Despite a last-minute pivot by the SEC and the successful launch of US spot ETH ETF, the altcoin’s price has remained muted. 

ETH’s bull vs bear case

At the time of writing, ETH’s value was below $3K, and the crypto community seems divided on its price prospects. As highlighted by Flip Research, the bull and bear camps have strong and compelling arguments. 

ETH’s bear case

For the bear case camp, the market research analyst noted that ETH’s reduced profits, L2 fragmentation, and direct competition from Bitcoin [BTC] and Solana [SOL] didn’t bode well for the altcoin’s value. 

For context, after the Dencun upgrade, fees dropped, and more users migrated to L2s. 

‘Profitability has dropped off a cliff post-Dencun, and it doesn’t look like that will change soon’

However, L2s’ fragmentation has intensified, giving Solana’s monolithic chain a competitive edge and further denting ETH’s price outlook. Per Flip Research,

‘Currently @l2beat is tracking 71 L2s, 20 L3s, and an incredible 82 upcoming launches. This is substantially degrading UX, and becoming a significant barrier to widespread adoption. Meanwhile, SOL has shown the potential of a monolithic chain & ecosystem.’

Additionally, ETH has been underperforming SOL and BTC, as shown by the declining SOLETH and ETHBTC ratios. This underscored weak sentiment on the leading altcoin, per Flip Research. 

Source: ETH/BTC ratio, TradingView

The ETHBTC ratio, which tracks ETH’s relative performance to BTC, has decreased despite the US spot ETH ETF approvals. This meant that ETH underperformed BTC over the same period. 

ETH’s bull case

However, ETH bulls have countered the bear camp with solid arguments. Flip Research noted that memes eclipsed the DeFi narrative. But a narrative shift was underway. 

‘ETH’s underperformance this year has coincided with a rotation from DeFi to memes. However, it looks like the narrative may be shifting.’ 

Another critical point was that ETH was the only institutional-grade and battle-tested chain. BlackRock’s interest in the chain for on-chain tokenization further supported this argument.  

‘Many of the smartest minds in the space are collaborating on the ETH roadmap. Any institutional onboarding will be done on ETH, whether it be RWAs and on-chain tokenisation, prediction markets etc.’ 

Coinbase analysts also projected a continued demand for ETH in the long run as usage in L2 protocols surges. 

‘Current trends lead us to expect continued strength in ETH demand from other protocol-based avenues such as collateral in money markets or trading pairs in DEXs’ 

However, on his part, Ali Muneeb, one of the pioneers of Bitcoin DeFi and Stacks [STX] founder, said that he would pick Solana over Ethereum. 

‘I’d pick Solana over Ethereum any day.’

Meanwhile, ETH has been consolidating above $2500 for the second week as overall crypto market sentiment remains weak. With solid arguments on both sides, whether ETH’s sentiment will improve or not remains to be seen. 

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