find a phd eth zurich

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Department of Mathematics

Thanks to its international focus, the Department of Mathematics offers doctoral students the best possible start to a career in academic or industrial research. A doctorate usually takes between three and five years.

The Department of Mathematics offers a broad spectrum of research areas for doctoral students ranging from pure mathematics, such as algebra, analysis, geometry, number theory or probability, to more applied mathematics, such as insurance mathematics, finance, mathematical physics, numerical analysis, operations research and statistics.

About twenty to thirty doctoral students complete their doctoral thesis at the Department every year: overview of upcoming and successfully passed doctoral examinations.

Research environment

Doctoral students work as scientific assistants and are employed for up to six years. They attend the external page Zurich Graduate School in Mathematics. call_made

The benefits are:

• internationally highly respected professors
• research funded by the external page Swiss National Science Foundation call_made
• offices in the ETH Zurich Main Building
• access to the Mathematics Library and the ETH Library , access to online publications
• conferences organised by the Forschungsinstitut für Mathematik to support the scientific exchange of ideas

Teaching activities

Passing on knowledge to future mathematicians, other scientists and engineers is a key part of doing doctoral studies at ETH Zurich. The teaching workload depends on the doctoral student's salary level. Teaching generally comprises:

• teaching exercise classes
• organising exercises for a lecture
• assisting in student seminars
• interacting with the lecturer and/or teaching assistants (undergraduate students)
• providing assistance for lectures ranging from basic mathematics for biologists to advanced lectures for mathematicians
• coordinating and correcting exams

Additional courses

Research lives from acquiring knowledge about current theory and discussing it with experts. During the regular doctoral studies, at least 12 ECTS credits must be acquired to cover the following objectives:

• Deepening of knowledge in the research field of the doctoral thesis and expansion of knowledge beyond the original discipline
• Acquisition of transferable skills
• Integration into the scientific community  

Courses and seminars:

• wide variety of high-level lectures, minicourses and student seminars: see ETH Zurich Course Catalogue or external page graduate courses call_made offered by the Zurich Graduate School in Mathematics
• Reseach seminars organised by professors and research groups where experts from different mathematical fields give talks and exchange their knowledge
• The FIM - Institute for Mathematical Research and the Institute for Theoretical Studies invite academic guests for scientific exchange

Life in Zurich

• largest city in Switzerland with a top ranking for quality of life
• charming medieval old town very close to the ETH Main Building and the Department
• fantastic water activities, winter sports or hiking because of the lake and the Alps within close proximity
• variety of cultural events and night life, very cosmopolitan  

Further activities

• The external page Zurich Graduate School of Mathematics (ZGSM) call_made organises language courses and social events such as barbecues and fondue dinners.
• The Association of Scientific Staff at ETH (AVETH) and the Association of Academic Staff at the D-MATH (VMM) represent the interests of doctoral students and organise events.
• The external page Academic Sports Association Zurich (ASVZ) call_made offers a wide range of sports that fulfil every wish.

More Information

• chevron_right ETH Zurich – Doctorate
• chevron_right Student portal – Doctorate
• chevron_right Welcome Center
• chevron_right Continuing education in university teaching
• external page call_made German courses (ZGSM)
• external page call_made Language center
• protected page lock Help@D-MATH (ETH login required)

Legal matters

• chevron_right Ordinance on Doctoral Studies at ETH Zurich
• chevron_right Rector’s Implementation Provisions for the Ordinance on Doctoral Studies 2021

Associations

• protected page lock VMM – Association of the academic mid-level faculty at D-MATH
• chevron_right AVETH – Association of Scientific Staff at ETH
• chevron_right AVETH – Survival Guide

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Department of Biology

Information events doctorate.

Introductory program of the rectorate for new doctoral students

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 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 Computer Science

Application and admission.

Students holding a Master's degree in computer science or a related field are cordially invited to apply for doctoral studies in Computer Science.

Application and admission are possible at any time; there are no deadlines.

Applicants need a Master's degree with a strong background in computer science or a closely related field. Also, applicants need to be proficient both in written and spoken English. Language tests are not required. However, if you have documental proof, please include it in your application. Typically, personal interviews are conducted with candidates considered for admission. GRE tests are not mandatory. However, if proof of results is available, please include it in your application.  

Applications are always accepted in one of two ways:

Option 1 : You can contact a professor in an area of your interest to find out whether they have openings and may be interested in supervising you as a doctoral student.

List of professors and research groups: Research Groups

Once you have found a supervisor, you must submit your application via eApply. Details and further information you will find here .

Option 2 : You can submit your application online via our central application system . This way, your application will automatically be available to and reviewed by our entire faculty. The application is free of charge.

The online application is exclusively electronic. Please provide the following documents:

• Scans of diplomas of completed degrees
• Scans of grade records for all attended universities
• Statement of objective (text only in English)
• Contact information of three references providing recommendations

Note that all uploaded files should be unprotected PDFs each not exceeding 2 MB in size.

Once your application is submitted, it will remain active for four months. In this period, you may be contacted by any interested faculty member. Otherwise, you will receive a notification at the end of this period.

Doctoral students are employees and students. Therefore, upon admission, they receive an employment contract and a confirmation of provisional admission. Only after having passed the aptitude colloquium, which must take place after twelve months at the latest, doctoral students are admitted definitively.

Enrolment in myStudies at the beginning of every semester is compulsory right up to the decision on conferral of the doctoral degree.

In addition to conducting research, doctoral students are also teaching assistants and supervise student projects from the bachelor's and master's programmes. Open positions for teaching assistants are to be found here .  

Doctoral students generally have an employment contract. At D-INFK, the salary rates for doctoral students are Rate 4 or Rate 5, which enables them to cover their living expenses  comfortably in Switzerland.

Additional information on admission costs, tuition and semester fees, and living costs can be found here .  

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Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences

Doctoral studies.

The doctoral programmes of the D-CHAB attract around 500 highly qualified doctoral students from all over the world that are doing research in over 50 groups that cover a wide range of research areas in chemistry, pharmaceutical and applied sciences. About 50% of all doctoral chemistry students in Switzerland are educated at the D-CHAB.

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MaP Doctoral School

Main content.

Ready to make an impact in science and society!

The MaP Doctoral School of ETH Zurich provides topclass international doctoral education in advanced materials, processes and manufacturing technologies.

Join the ETH Zurich MaP Doctoral School for your doctoral studies and drive future transformations in the way materials and processes shape the world:

• join cutting-edge laboratories directed by internationally renowned professors
• acquire technical knowledge through customised thematic tracks
• profit from a multifaceted programme to develop your skills  
• dive into the collaborative spirit of the School & take on an active role in shaping a vibrant community

learn more sign up

Current doctoral students

learn more about

• overall initiative
• more detailed information depending on advancement of your doctoral studies
• overview of benefits when joining the School
• upcoming events

Prospective talents

open doctoral positions

Questions & Support

Social Media

external page ETH Zurich Competence Center for Materials and Processes (MaP) call_made

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Center for Security Studies

The Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS) generally offers four different paths to obtain a PhD. The 12 ECTS PhD from the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities (D-GESS) at ETH Zürich specializes in one of the five core research fields - Democracy, Markets and Politics, Political Violence, Sustainable Development, and Security.

The first step in the application procedure is to find a CIS faculty member who is willing to serve as the main advisor of your PhD dissertation. To do so, we suggest identify the CIS faculty member whose research comes closest to your interests and educational background.

Write a detailed proposal outlining your research interest and central research questions (max. 4 pages).

Send an email or letter including: (a) a letter of motivation, (b) your CV; (c) name of one CIS professor whose research interests and expertise are best suited to your proposal, and explain the relevance of your proposal with regard to the professor's field of interest.

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Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences

Doctoral studies, list of doctoral theses from the d-gess.

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Department of Management, Technology, and Economics

Doctoral studies in management.

Doctoral studies in management include courses in technology and innovation management, human and entrepreneurial behaviour, supply chain and information systems and systems design.

Involved chairs

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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 2024.

• Transparent salary: CHF 72,058 in the first year, CHF 77,183 in the second year, and CHF 82'328 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 .  The deadline for applications is November 22, 2023. 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.

PhD in Decision support methods to foster regenerative construction solutions and increase resilience of vulnerable and underserved communities

100%, zurich, fixed-term.

Join our research team at ETH Zurich in a project designed to enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities worldwide against climate change. This PhD position is an opportunity to contribute to a global initiative that involves multiple international institutions in Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Norway, Switzerland, UK and USA. As a PhD candidate, you will play a crucial role in integrating scientific research with community-based participatory approaches to address local environmental challenges and enhance community resilience.

Project background

The rise of global surface temperatures is causing more extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and storms. Designing the built environment for integrated environmental and social sustainability and high resilience against extreme weather is crucial to face and mitigate the challenges of the ongoing rapid increase in climate-related disasters, especially in areas inhabited by vulnerable populations. Such design calls for holistic, inclusive, regenerative, and self-sustaining approaches which result in an overall net positive impact on the environment and the communities living in it. This project proposes an interdisciplinary participatory approach to generate resilient strategies to sustainably and durably regenerate the built environment in vulnerable and underserved communities, focused on key risks related to socio-ecological systems in littoral areas, water security and critical physical infrastructure.

The general objective is to develop a framework for the co-design of regenerative solutions for the built environment in vulnerable communities that increase their resilience to climate change local effects. Our project spans three continents with Living Labs in Colombia, Indonesia, and the USA, each involving local stakeholders and international research partners. These case studies will be used to create a roadmap that can guide the process of proposing technological solutions to address the specific needs of vulnerable communities, focusing on their exposure to and perception of climate change-related risks.

Job description

The objective of the PhD is to develop a framework allowing to implement placed based solutions that can improve the resilience of local communities and regenerate both environment and local economy. Such framework serves as base for co-designing solutions with the community, considering on one side local resource availability (material and immaterial), legal and social constraints, natural threats due to climate change and on the other side technical and sustainability performance of various design options. The PhD works more specifically in Colombia, but framework is intended to be transferrable to other contexts.

Following tasks are envisioned:

- Environmental Analysis and climate Risk Assessment: Develop methods to identify climate-related risks for the built environment, including social, economic and environmental perspectives.

- Identify regenerative constructive solutions: Work closely with experts from various fields including building engineering, urban planning and social sciences to identify and tailor regenerative solutions, ensuring they respond effectively to the assessed risks and community needs. Main task of the PhD will be to develop reliable method providing graspable results to present whole sustainability consequences of implementing the various solutions proposed by various stakeholders.

-  Co-design regenerative solutions enhancing climate resilience which are economically viable and trigger positive outcome for both the community and the planet. Once the sustainability assessment method is developed, it can be implemented on various options and can contribute to the adaptation of these solutions based on community feedback and cultural appropriateness, ensuring the solutions are sustainable and embedded within the local context.

- Knowledge Transfer and Implementation:   PhD engages in the translation of research findings into practical, on-ground strategies that improve local living conditions and environmental sustainability. PhD is also expected to disseminate sustainability assessment method to wider audience in order to be used in other contexts by governmental and non-governmental bodies.

Your profile

The ideal candidate

• Holds a Master degree in Geography, Environmental Science, Civil or environmental engineering, Architecture or related fields.
• is fluent in Spanish and English in order to engage with local community. (Spanish proficiency is a requirement)
• is skilled in modelling, comfortable with python language and GIS or ready to learn them fast (and able to demonstrate that) with a strong interest in participatory research methods.
• Has knowledge in building constructions.
• Share sustainability values and willingness to engage with local communities.

Your workplace

Working on an exciting project carried out in a multicultural and interdisciplinary research group at ETH Zurich equipped with excellent computational and lab facilities. The group is currently composed of 20 people coming from 10 countries with 70% female employees. PhD student can expect regular meeting with senior person in the team, while still being allowed independent work. English is the working language in the group. Spanish is working language with community in Colombia. German is the language spoken in your every day life in Zurich. The PhD is expected to last 3 to 4 years.

Employment Conditions:

• Based in Zurich with required travel to project sites in Colombia, Indonesia, and USA
• Flexible working hours and home office are possible, but need to have residence address in Switzerland
• Salary is set according to ETH standards (rate 3)

We value diversity

Curious so are we..

We invite applications from motivated individuals eager to contribute to a global sustainability initiative. Please submit your application by end of June. Applications must be submitted online with attention to ETH Zurich, Ms. Corina Niescher, Human Resources, CH-8092 Zurich and include:

• a cover letter that describes the candidate’s motivation and research experience
• academic transcripts/list of courses completed or on-going, including grades
• a digital copy (PDF) of the master’s thesis abstract
• name and address / contact details of two referees

We expect to carry out interviews in July and have a final decision by end of July 2024 to start by September 2024 or later upon agreement with candidate.

For more details about the position, contact Dr. Edwin Zea Escamilla at [email protected] . Please do not send applications. Learn more about our projects and team .

About ETH Zürich