ETH Zurich postdoctoral fellowships are available to new postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. Young researchers who have already shown scientific excellence in their early careers are to be supported by the initiative.
| Host Country | Switzerland |
| Host Institute | ETH Zurich |
| Fellowship Level | Postdoc |
| Duration | 2 Years |
| Coverage | Salary + Allowances |
| Closing Dates | 1 March and 1 September each year |
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Applications must be submitted jointly by the candidate and the possible host, who must be a professor at ETH Zurich and be ready to serve as the fellow’s mentor. In each round of evaluation, a professor may only submit one applicant. The host (group) and the ETH Fellow need to work in persuasive ways. Priority will be given to applicants who propose their own projects because the fellowships are meant to serve as early support for academic independence.
ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich (German: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich) or Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich is a science and technology university in Zurich, Switzerland. The institute was established by the Swiss federal government in 1854 and was modeled after the École Polytechnique in Paris with the stated mission to educate engineers and scientists. The school’s 16 departments cover a wide range of disciplines and subjects, but it primarily focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
In academics and business, ETH Zurich has a stellar reputation, particularly in the fields of science and technology. It consistently ranks as one of the top 15 to 20 universities worldwide and one of the top three to five universities in Europe. The institution was placed eighth globally and fourth globally in Europe in the 2022 QS World Institution Rankings for academic excellence. In the 2021 edition, it was ranked first globally for earth and marine science and second globally for engineering and technology. ETH Zurich was placed 11th worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2022–2023.
Benefits of ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships with Salary
Salary payments are made at 100% of the ETH standard. According to ETH rules, the ETH postdoctoral fellowship program pays the fellow’s entire salary (100%). The following rates are valid as of 2023:
| Year | Gross Salary | Total Rates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHF 92,200 | CHF 106,000 |
| 2 | CHF 96,900 | CHF 111,400 |
| Total | CHF 189,100 | CHF 217,400 |
Budgets must be created using the total rates. They consist of 15.0% of social security contributions that ETH Zurich will cover.
Additionally, ETH Fellows are eligible for a personal travel/mobility stipend (1/5) and a contribution toward research expenses (4/5), with a combined yearly cap of CHF 10,000 for both categories. Salary expenses cannot be paid for out of the travel and research budget, and vice versa. The ETH Fellows must work at ETH Zurich under a valid labor contract for the duration of their fellowship.
All ETH Fellows are invited to social events twice a year. Additionally, professional development workshops are offered to all ETH Fellows by ETH Zurich. In some cases, it is also envisaged that ETH Fellows would be permitted to participate in the teaching endeavors of their host organization. The application must include both the intended teaching responsibilities and an estimation of the typical workload.
ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships Eligibility
Postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich who are new to the institution are supported through the ETH Fellows Postdoctoral Fellowship program. The program’s goal is to support emerging scientists who have already shown themselves to be excellent scientists.
- All candidates, regardless of gender or background, are highly urged to apply.
- A doctorate (PhD) or the completion of a degree within six months must be held by applicants at the time of the application deadline. Doctoral (PhD) applicants must have earned their degrees no more than two years before the submission date. The examination date or the defense/viva voce date is the crucial date.
- A confirmation of the anticipated date of their defense, issued by the adviser or department chair, is required from candidates who have not yet finished their doctoral degree. By the time the fellowship begins, the exam or viva voce must have been finished.
- Candidates with PhDs from the University of Zurich or ETH Zurich will not be taken into consideration.
- Prior to the deadline for applications, applicants may not have spent more than a year in Switzerland living or engaging in their primary activity (such as job, study, or other).
- In the three years before the application deadline, applicants may not have done their primary activity (job, study, etc.) at ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, a research institute affiliated with the ETH domain (PSI, WSL, Empa, or Eawag), or the University of Zurich.
- A prize for their PhD thesis or at least one scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal is a requirement for applicants.
- Applications that do not meet the eligibility requirements will be denied formally.
ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships Hosts
The possible host must be an ETH Zurich professor and be prepared to serve as the fellow’s mentor. Applications must be submitted jointly by the candidate and potential host. Each evaluation round allows a professor to submit a maximum of one candidate. Between the host (organization) and the ETH Fellow, there must be believable synergies. Since the fellowships are meant to be an early form of financial support for academic independence, priority will be given to applicants who put forth their project ideas.
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Duration
The duration of an ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship is two years and cannot be prolonged. The fellowship is competitive with only a limited number of fellowships available each year.
Material Required along with the Application
The following material is required to apply for ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships with Salary in Switzerland:
- a thorough CV of the candidate with lists of publications, and a picture, and it is crucial that all dates at least include the month and year;
- a description of the research project, the candidate’s specific role, and input, as well as how the ETH Fellow’s project relates to other research directions in the host group
- a condensed curriculum vitae (maximum of two pages) for the visiting professor.
- a concise (1-page maximum) description of the candidate’s professional objectives.
- a certification of the anticipated date of the defense, if appropriate, signed by the advisor or department chair if the doctorate is not yet finished, noting that the candidate is seen to be outstanding.
- an invitation letter from the host professor stating how the candidate is regarded as excellent.
Application Procedure
ETH Zurich postdoctoral fellowship applications must be submitted jointly by the candidate and the possible host, who must be a professor at ETH Zurich and be ready to serve as the fellow’s mentor. In each round of evaluation, a professor may only submit one applicant. The host (group) and the ETH Fellow need to work in persuasive ways.
Priority will be given to applicants who propose their own projects because the fellowships are meant to serve as early support for academic independence. Since the applicant and mentor should not have worked closely together before the fellowship, it is crucial that applicants develop their own ideas and write the application independently.
Utilizing the ETH Zurich grant application system (eResearch), applications must be submitted online in pdf format. You may download the project description template from the official page by selecting Documents on the right side of the page.
Applications must be evaluated by the ETH Zurich Research Commission. In the initial step, proposals are evaluated, and then a few individuals are chosen and invited to interviews.
The online interview takes occur for roughly 15 minutes. If you have not been given a specific date yet, please save all of the interview dates listed below for your submission deadline. It is not possible to take preferences into account.
Apply Now or see the application guidelines.
ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships Timeline
Every year, at 17:00 Swiss local time, the submission deadlines are 1 March and 1 September. At least 10 days before the deadline, the reference letters must be emailed directly to ethfellows@sl.ethz.ch. The video interview will be held on the dates that correspond to the deadlines listed below. The applicants will be informed of their status regarding interview invitations within two months of the application deadline.
Interview dates for September deadline: 7 Nov, 8 Nov, 9 Nov.
About four months after the deadline for submissions, the final funding decisions are announced. At the latest eight months after the submission date, ETH Fellows are anticipated to begin their fellowship. They must ask the Grants Office for permission to start later if they are unable to meet this deadline.
For more information, visit the official website.
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