ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships in Switzerland 2021

The ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship programme (ETH Fellows) supports incoming postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich. The programme is intended to foster young researchers who have already demonstrated scientific excellence in the early stages of their careers.

Applications have to be made jointly by the candidate and the potential host, who must be an ETH Zurich professor and willing to act as the mentor of the fellow. There must be convincing synergies between the host (group) and the ETH Fellow. The fellowships are intended as early support towards academic independence, hence priority will be given to applicants who propose their own projects. Thus, it is important that applicants come up with their own ideas and draft the application themselves and that the applicant and mentor have not closely collaborated prior to the fellowship.

The duration of an ETH Fellowship is two years and cannot be prolonged. The fellowship is competitive with only a limited number of fellowships available each year. The success rate was 25-​30% in the last rounds.

Eligibility

At the time of the submission deadline, applicants must hold a doctorate (PhD) or will complete their doctorate within the next six months. Applicants with the doctorate (PhD) must have obtained it a maximum of two years prior to the submission deadline. The decisive date is the date of the examination or viva voce.

Applicants who have not yet completed their doctorate must submit a certification of the planned date of their defense signed by the advisor or department chair. The examination or viva voce must have been completed by the time the fellowship is started.

Applicants who earned their PhD from ETH Zurich or the University of Zurich will not be considered.

Researchers may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Switzerland for more than twelve months in the three years immediately before the submission deadline.

Funding

Applicants may not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) at either ETH Zurich, a research institute of the ETH domain, or the University of Zurich for more than six months in the three years immediately before the submission deadline.

Applicants need to have at least one scientific publication in a peer-​reviewed journal or have been awarded a prize for their doctoral thesis.

Applications not complying with the eligibility criteria will be rejected on formal grounds.

The fellowship covers the fellow’s salary (100%, based on ETH standards). As of 2020, the following rates apply:  

Year	Gross salary	Total rates
1	kCHF 88.6	kCHF 101.9
2	kCHF 93.05	kCHF 107.0
Total	kCHF 181.65	kCHF 208.9

The total rates must be used for budgeting. They include 15.0% social security contributions to be paid by ETH Zurich.

ETH Fellows are also entitled to kCHF 12 per year for research expenses, including travel/mobility allowances and research cost contributions. The budget allocated for travel and research costs may not be used to cover salary costs, and vice versa.

Deadline: 1 September 2020, 23:59 CET

Official website