NOMIS Foundation ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich; Zürich; Vor Ort; CHF 90.000 - 110.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

ETH Zurich, in collaboration with the NOMIS Foundation, offers a NOMIS Foundation–ETH Fellowship within the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL). The program supports postdoctoral researchers aiming to develop independent, interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of life’s origin and prevalence.

The fellowship spans three years with a possible extension; it emphasizes bold, high-risk basic research and requires engagement with the COPL network and affiliated professors.

Jobbeschreibung

NOMIS Foundation ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship

The NOMIS Foundation–ETH Fellowship Programme supports postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich within the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL). The programme is intended to foster the development of young interdisciplinary researchers in the field of the origin and prevalence of life who have demonstrated scientific excellence in the early stages of their careers, and to enable the conditions necessary to conduct interdisciplinary, fundamental and high-risk research with some level of independence and autonomy.

Project background

The Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life at ETH Zurich is an innovative collaboration between several departments to comprehensively address the big questions of life’s origins and ubiquity. The Centre includes a dedicated gathering place to meet up and hold scientific discussions in a casual environment, hot desks and temporary office space for students and faculty located at nearby campuses as well as for visiting scientists.

The purpose of the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Lifeis to establish and promote new forms of scientific collaborations that transcend existing disciplinary boundaries to exploit opportunity and synergies, linking planetary context with chemical forms and functions of life. For that purpose, the Centre is deploying a programme including state-of-the‑art interdisciplinary research projects, the development of exceptional talents, recruitment of world‑class professors, an extensive scientific network, and an interdisciplinary curriculum about the origin and prevalence of life.

The NOMIS Foundation supports and enables insight-driven science across all disciplines, focusing on researchers who put forth bold new ideas, exhibit a pioneering spirit and seek to inspire the world around them. The foundation’s vision is to “create a spark” in the world of science by enabling pioneering research in the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities that benefit humankind and our planet.

The foundation serves as a catalyst for scientific and human progress by supporting interdisciplinary research, establishing collaborative research networks and developing strategic partnerships. In addition to providing financial support, the NOMIS Foundation endeavours to develop and strengthen the conditions conducive to the pursuit of high‑risk basic research.

Once appointed, NOMIS–ETH Fellows become an integral part of and have direct access to an international network of leading interdisciplinary researchers and institutions through the NOMIS collaborative research network, the network of the Swiss National Centre for Competence in Research (NCCR) Genesis , and the Origins Federation .

The NOMIS-ETH Fellows are expected to actively participate in the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life by attending events therein. NOMIS-ETH Fellows are actively involved in NOMIS events and activities (as their schedule permits) and establish independent research ties with other members of the network and beyond.

NOMIS-ETH Fellows are also expected to be given the opportunity to take part in the teaching activities of their host groups, to a certain extent. The proposed teaching duties and an estimate of the average load must be specified in the application.

The duration of a NOMIS–ETH Fellowship is three years plus one extension year and cannot be prolonged. The fourth year is granted only following a review 18 months after the start of the fellowship and must be funded by the host professor(s). The fellowship is competitive with a limited number of fellowships available each year. For a start in 2027, up to onenew NOMIS–ETH Fellowwill be selected.

Profile

At the time of application, applicants must have submitted their PhD thesis. Applications within three years of obtaining a doctorate will be considered. In duly justified cases, applications falling outside this criterium may also be considered. Preferably, you already will have acquired your first postdoctoral experience and/or interdisciplinary training. You must have an existing affiliation to an academic/research institution.

Following the initial evaluation round, you must be available for a remote interview.

In each evaluation round, a professor may only submit one candidate as host. A potential host may be co-host of another candidate for the same evaluation round. At least one of the host or co-host professors (mentors) must have a guaranteed ETH position for the entire duration of the proposed fellowship. The hosts and co-hosts shall be members of the Centre; see the COPL website for affiliated professors. The host or co-host must commit to providing the allowance and any additional support required beyond the fellowship allowance to carry out the research project as well as resources for the fourth year, provided the candidate successfully passes the review process.

Applicants who were not selected for a NOMIS–ETH Fellowship in previous rounds may resubmit an application in the current round.

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

Workplace

We offer

• Your job with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society

In line with our values , ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate‑neutral future.

Curious? So are we.

• cover letter with signature and date.
• evidence that the PhD thesis was at least submitted.
• complete CV with publication list; important: all dates must at least include month and year.
• specific role and input, as well as how the NOMIS–ETH Fellow’s project relates to other research directions in the host group and the Centre,
• brief outline of your career goals,
• description of the interdisciplinary nature, the high‑risk/outside‑the-box character of the proposed research and the synergy of the proposal with the Centre’s mission.
• invitation letter from one of the host professors describing why you are an excellent candidate and a statement of financial support for year 4.
• completed form concerning ethical issues and research requiring authorization or notification; template document provided.
• two external letters of reference for the candidate, to be e‑mailed by the author of the letter directly to the Managing Office of the Center for Origin and Prevalence of Life before the application deadline ([e-mail] )

The necessary document templates can be downloaded from theCOPL website . Please do not change the internal structure of the templates, and please adhere to the file‑naming conventions explained below.

Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Document Name

Type of information

Access

Contents/Remarks

Cover_Letter_name_of_applicant

general

general

Evidence of PhD thesis submission general general A document that provides the evidence that the candidate has at least submitted the PhD thesis.

Detailed project description including summary, research plan, midterm research vision, list of reference letters to be expected, and literature list. See template for details.

A03_CV_name_of_applicant

general

general

Complete CV of the candidate including list of publications and a picture. It is important that all dates at least include month and year.

A04_Invitation_Letter_name_of_applicant

general

general

Letter by host professor, stating why the candidate is considered excellent and why they are invited to the host groups. In addition, the ETH professor must commit to providing the allowance and any additional support required beyond the fellowship allowance to carry out the research project as well as resources for the fourth year, provided the candidate successfully passes the review process.

Information on ethical issues and research requiring authorization and notification.

Signed Code of conduct of the NOMIS Foundation.

If you experience problems with the electronic submission system, please contact the Managing Office of the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life via email to [e-mail] . No support can be provided for problems with the electronic submission outside office hours.

Deadlines
There is one call for NOMIS–ETH Fellowships per year. The submission deadline for the call in 2026 is 06 November 2026 at 17:00 Swiss local time. Applications must be submitted electronically via the online ETH job platform “ETH Zurich Job Board ”. Reference letters must be sent by the authors before the application deadline to the Managing Office of the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life by email to [e-mail] .

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Further information about the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life can be found on theCOPL website . Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Mathias Beck (no applications).

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising inscience and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education,cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledgeinto society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find ouruniversity to be a place that promotes independent thinking and anenvironment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe,yet forging connections all over the world, we work together todevelop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.