part time phd eth zurich

Why is a doctoral plan needed? The doctoral plan forms the basis for the aptitude colloquium, which all doctoral students must complete within the first year of their doctorate.

Please note that the doctoral plan has not the character of a legally binding agreement, but is rather a declaration of intent between you and your supervisor.

When has the doctoral plan to be submitted? At the latest two weeks before the aptitude colloquium.

What are the duties of the second advisor? The second advisor provides the doctoral candidate with additional, specialist support and task-​​related advice.

The second advisor is also significantly involved in the development of the doctoral plan and is part of the aptitude colloquium committee.

But also afterwards, this person plays an important role at the time of the annual progress report. This again is important for the part of the annual status conversation that focuses on the scientific progress of the research project.

Who nominates the second advisor? The supervisor of the doctoral thesis designates - in agreement with the doctoral candidate - an academically qualified person as second advisor.

When does the second advisor have to be nominated? The second advisor should preferably be appointed as early as possible, but at the latest four weeks before the aptitude colloquium.

Who can act as second advisor? Any academically qualified person with proven expertise in the research topic of the thesis. The second advisor does not need to be a professor, or affiliated with ETH Zurich. However, this person should be available for the entire duration of the doctorate.

May someone from the same group act as second advisor? Yes. But keep in mind, that the second advisor should be available for the entire duration of the doctorate.

May second advisors act as co-examiners? Yes, if they meet the co-examiner criteria.

Is there a deadline for the aptitude colloquium to take place? Yes. All doctoral students have to take their aptitude colloquim within their first year. The deadline for taking the aptitude colloquium can be found in your admission letter. It can also be viewed in myStudies.

Why an aptitude colloquium? Doctoral students defend their doctoral plan in the aptitude colloquium. In doing so, they prove they can assess the relevance of their research area and place it in the current context of scientific research. Passing the aptitude colloquium is a condition for definitive admission to the doctorate. The goal of the aptitude colloquium is to help the PhD students to progress in their studies.

The date and time must be arranged in consultation with the supervisor and the second advisor. Please note that no provisional reservations will be made for reasons of clarity.

Room reservations are made by the D-PHYS doctoral administration and published on the webpage .

Who are the members of the aptitude colloquium committee? The chairperson (member of the doctoral committee or another person appointed by the doctoral committee), the doctoral thesis supervisor, and the second advisor.

An extension of the aptitude colloquium committee is possible upon request of the supervisor to the doctoral committee. This is limited to two persons and needs to be submitted latest six weeks before the colloquium.

What is the procedure of the aptitude colloquium? 1. 20 minutes presentation of the PhD candidate. Please note the presentation should not only focus on the past year, but at least 5 minutes should address the future research contents, and not as a detailed schedule of the project, but rather the open questions that will advance the state-of-the-art in the specific field. 2. 20 to 30 minutes of questions mainly from the supervisor and second advisor. 3. 5 minutes discussion without the PhD candidate and result. 4. 5 minutes discussion of the chair with the PhD candidate only.

Is the aptitude colloquium public? No.

Are there any rules on physical presence? The physical presence of the aptitude committee at the aptitude colloquium is not mandatory. This also applies to the doctoral student. If aptitude committee members and/or the doctoral student take part by video link, two-way communication – both video and audio – must be guaranteed for the entire duration of the aptitude colloquium. If the aptitude colloquium is held online or in hybrid mode, it is the PhD candidate's responsibility to organise it and set up the zoom link for the invitation. Please send the zoom link to the D-PHYS doctoral administration at least two weeks before the aptitude colloquium. If you need video conferencing equipment (e.g. Meeting Owl), you can rent it for free from the ID MMS Shop.  

Do students under the old regulation (enrolement before 1.1.2022) also have to complete the progress report and annual status conversation? Yes. Do doctoral students also have to complete the progress report and annual status conversation in their first year? No, at the end of your first year you need to pass your aptitude colloquium. The first Progress report & Annual status conversation needs to take place around the end of your second year and also at the end of the following years of your PhD. Who is responsible for organising the date for the progress report and annual status conversation? The Phd candidate or supervisor can arrange or ask for a date. What is a progress report and how does it look like? Doctoral students who have been definitively admitted write an annual progress report on the status and planned progress of their research project, as well as on any significant deviations from the research project described in the doctoral plan. This is a possible Download template for a progress report (PDF, 131 KB) vertical_align_bottom that can be used for orientation. What is a annual status conversation and how does it work? The annual status conversation consists of two separate parts: 1. Academic progress (basis: progress report) 2. Assessment, career and personal development The first part deals with the doctorate and the research work. The previously written progress report forms the basis for this conversation where all points recorded in the doctoral plan, the next steps and, if necessary, significant changes to the research project are discussed. It is recommended to involve the second advisor in the first part. Other persons may also participate. The second part is a development discussion that includes mutual feedback and the further development of competences. This part is conducted confidentially between the supervisor of the doctoral thesis and the doctoral candidate. This is a possible Download template for a annual status conversation (PDF, 463 KB) vertical_align_bottom that can be used for orientation. In any case both parts - the progress report and the result of the annual status conversation - are sent to the second advisor for information. Who is responsible for keeping the documents? It is the responsibility of the conversation participants to keep this document until the completion of the doctorate.  

How do doctoral students with enrolement before 1.1.2022 obtain credit points?

• You need to acquire 12 credit points during your doctoral studies, 4 of them from outside of your field of research.
• You register the courses in your myStudies, but not summer schools, conferences, and other activities. These shall be listed and confirmed on the Download course confirmation sheet. (PDF, 25 KB) vertical_align_bottom
• If you do take the examination of a course, then ECTS are counted.
• If you do not take the examination, you have to attend the course regularly and participate in the exercises. The lecturer needs to confirm your attendance. In this case, the amount of the weekly hours (V+U) is being counted as doctoral credit points. These doctoral credit points may not exceed the amount of ECTS allocated to a course unit.
• A one-week conference with poster or talk counts for 2 doctoral credit points.
• A one-week summer school counts for 1 doctoral credit point.
• Appendix 1 of the detailed stipulations applies to you.

How do I obtain credit points for doctoral studies? Please refer to this Download guideline (PDF, 444 KB) vertical_align_bottom .

Do I have to take the examination to receive ECTS from courses ? Yes.

Which courses can I register for as a doctoral student in D-PHYS? As a rule, only credit points are awarded for work which has been performed within the university environment or at academic events. Please see the Detailed Stipulation Art. 11.2 for more information.

How can I claim ECTS for summer schools or conferences? You can find them in the course catalogue under "doctorate/physics/doctoral department of physics/integration into scientific community". Please select your supervisor when registering.

Is it correct that I need to acquire ECTS in "Good Scientific Practice and Ethics"? That is correct. At least 1 ECTS needs to be acquired by attending a course in this field. This will be recognised in the "transferable skills" category.

Can ECTS from teaching diploma or teaching certificate courses also be recognised for regular doctoral studies? Yes. But only courses, for which you have registered after the start of your doctoral studies.

Are ECTS awarded for participation in teaching? No. Doctoral students are not only students, but also employees of ETH Zurich. Teaching is considered as part of their duties as employees.

Co-​examiners issue a written report on the doctoral thesis, submit it to the Department and participate in the doctoral examination.

From 1.1.2024, at least one co-​examiner must come from outside ETH Zurich and be a proven expert in the area of the doctoral thesis. See details here in article 11.3 para. c.

Deadline for the nomination of co-​examiners No later than ten weeks before their doctoral examination , the doctoral students nominate one or several co-examiners with the consent of their supervisor.

Approval is required for:

• ETH Zurich adjunct professors (Titularprofessor:in)
• ETH Zurich PDs (Privatdozent:in)
• ETH Zurich Emeriti professors (> 1 year at time of examination)
• Other internal ETH Zurich scientific staff
• EPFL professors
• All external examiners and co-​examiners

No approval is needed for:

• ETH Zurich full professors
• ETH Zurich associate and assistant professors
• NF-​sponsored professors

Duties of the co-​examiners The examination committee comprises a chairperson, the thesis supervisor as examiner, and the co-​examiner(s). The examiner and the co-​examiners evaluate the written doctoral thesis. The written reports on the thesis have to be submitted to the D-PHYS doctoral administration at the latest 5 working days before the oral examination.

FellowshipBard

22 fully funded phd programs at eth zürich, switzerland.

Are you holding Master’s degree and looking for fully funded PhD positions? ETH Zürich, Switzerland invites online application for multiple funded PhD Programs / fully funded PhD positions in various research areas.

Candidates interested in fully funded PhD positions can check the details and may apply as soon as possible. Interested and eligible applicants may submit their online application for PhD programs via the University’s Online Application Portal. 

1. Fully Funded PhD Position in ultrafast dynamics in perovskite structures

Summary of phd program:.

This position requires the design, construction, modification, and use of ultrafast laser pump-probe setups to perform time-resolved studies on a variety of perovskite materials, under the supervision and guidance of experienced researchers. You will be expected to understand and apply a range of concepts from modern optics to the generation and use of ultrashort pulses with frequencies ranging from the THz to PHz (optical) regimes. You will also be expected to contribute significantly to x-ray-based measurements of time-resolved dynamics at large-scale facilities, which may involve travel abroad.

Application Deadline: Open until filled

2. fully funded phd position in soil greenhouse gas emissions.

The Ecosystem Management group at ETH Zurich, working together with the Sustainable Agroecosystems group, is seeking to fill a 4-year PhD position to understand changes in greenhouse gas emissions from organic-rich soils along a woodland restoration chronosequence. Field work will be in Scotland where native woodlands are being planted on organic-rich soils. Little is known about how native woodland establishment on these soils affects soil microbiota and belowground processes, or the extent to which such changes affect greenhouse gas emissions from soils. The results will have relevance to woodland expansion and climate mitigation policies in Scotland and to a broader understanding of how increasing woodland cover on organic-rich soils in northern climates affects greenhouse gas balances.

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3. Fully Funded PhD Position in Quantum Computing

You will become part of our young team setting up large-scale quantum computing systems in a brand-new lab. Like the rest of the team, you will be working closely with the Quantum Device Lab – a well-established research group – and be able to both benefit from the expertise developed there and contribute to its progress. You will perform collaborative research towards the realization of quantum computing technologies. You will get to contribute to diverse aspects of the experimental effort, both technical (design of electronics and mechanical components, building of microwave setups) and conceptual (design of experiments, planning of future research strategies). In the lab, you will pursue the development of fault-tolerant quantum computation by implementing error correction on modular logical qubits.

4. Fully Funded PhD Position in Imaging Sensor Optimization

The PhD position involves researching and developing sensor control strategies, sensor simulation, and optimization of acquisition parameters for various sensor technologies. You will also work on advanced image reconstruction techniques and their applications. In close collaboration with researchers and engineers, you help to enable practical applications of imaging sensor optimization. Additionally, you will contribute to the preparation and publication of research papers in high-impact journals and conference processing as well as to patent invention reports.

5. Fully Funded PhD Position in Cybersickness/Virtual Reality

A major challenge of current VR systems is “cyber sickness”, a phenomenon that occurs in over 60% of users. The phenomenon refers to the set of deleterious symptoms that can occur after more or less prolonged use of virtual reality systems. Less severe, depending on personal characteristics, users can suffer from breaks in presence and immersion due to anomalies in rendering and interaction, which can lead to a bad feeling of embodiment in their virtual avatars. All these cases severely affect the user experience to the detriment of pleasant interactions and thus the success of immersive computing. Therefore, research on these phenomena is required to tailor interaction to users’ physiological reactions and adapt immersive environments in real time.

6. Fully Funded PhD Position in Optomechanical Quantum Sensing

The magnetic resonance force microscope (MRFM) is an ultrasensitive variety of the atomic force microscope (AFM): A nanoscale sample, such as a large biomolecule, is placed on a micromechanical sensor made from silicon nitride (see string in picture). When approaching a tiny ferromagnetic tip to within 10-100 nm from the sample, the nuclear or electronic spins in the sample will feel a magnetic force. Although this force is minute, on the order of one attonewton, it leads to a slight mechanical force on the sensor. Through magnetic resonance pulses, the state of the spin can be periodically inverted to generate resonant oscillations of the mechanical sensor that can be precisely measured by laser interferometry.

7. Fully Funded PhD Position in dynamics of transcrustal magmatic systems

Research and studies at the Department of Earth Sciences (D-ERDW) at ETH Zurich works towards a deeper understanding of all domains of our home planet, from the inner Earth to the continents, oceans, biosphere and atmosphere. The department hosts many state-of-the-art facilities, and has large research groups, allowing for diverse, flexible advising and top research conditions.

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8. 02 fully funded phd position in agricultural economics.

The new collaborative project focuses on the socioeconomic implications of environmentally friendly farming, focusing on low-pesticide production practices in Swiss grapevine production. The project is titled ‘Transition towards low-pesticide production and its socio-economic implications for farmers and farm workers‘. The project considers both farmers and hired farmworkers (who are often seasonal migrants from e.g., Eastern or Southern Europe), and aims to integrate these perspectives from economic, social, and policy perspectives.

Application Deadline: September 30, 2023

9. fully funded phd position in rheology of dense suspensions.

We welcome applications for a doctoral student to work in the group of Prof. Lucio Isa in the Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces at the Department of Materials at ETH Zurich on a project focusing on the rheology of dense particulate suspensions. The student will also work in close collaboration with the group of Prof. Jan Vermant in the same department. In particular, the project will investigate the effect of particle topography on the onset of discontinuous shear thickening by combining macroscopic rheological measurement with microscale characterization of contact forces using atomic force microscopy.

Application Deadline: September 30st 2023

10. fully funded phd position in nanomagnetic robotics.

The Laboratory for Mesoscopic Systems based at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is a joint laboratory between the ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute, which is the largest research center for the natural and engineering sciences in Switzerland. The current research focus is the investigation of novel magnetic systems at the mesoscopic scale making use of the clean rooms and large-scale facilities at the Paul Scherrer Institute, and fostering synergies with the Department of Materials (ETH Zurich). We would like to hire a Doctoral Student in the field of nanomagnetic robotics.

11. Fully Funded PhD Position in Mammalian Synthetic Biology for Cell-Based Therapies

We invite applications from motivated and highly-driven candidates eager to work at the forefront of cell therapy and bioengineering research. The successful applicant will work closely with computational scientists in the group to develop and test advanced genetic mammalian control systems, biosensors, and bio-actuators for next generation cell-based therapies.

Application Deadline: September 11, 2023

12. 03 fully funded phd position in electric power transmission technology.

The electric energy sector plays a pivotal role in limiting man-made global warming and in supporting the urgent and ongoing transformation of our energy system by replacing fossil energy sources with new renewables, and by improving efficiency in the end use. In addition, the electric energy grid is being rebuilt and extended to incorporate these changes and aims to use only environmentally friendly components.

13. Fully Funded PhD Position in Plant Biochemistry

The successful applicant, who will work in the team led by Prof. Samuel C. Zeeman, will be involved in research to understand how plants are able to make the carbohydrate polymers that comprise starch and how they are able to adopt a complex, semi-crystalline state. This research will require a combination of complementary tools: molecular genetics in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, advanced microscopic and cell biological methods, and in-vitro/in-vivo biochemistry. The successful applicant will be embedded within an interactive institute located in the city-center Campus of ETH Zurich, a world-leading institution in basic and applied research. We provide access to state-of-the-art facilities for microscopy (ScopeM), proteomics and nucleotide sequence analysis (FGCZ, GDC), in-house metabolomics, and plant growth.

14. Fully Funded PhD Position in forest science

UPSCALE (2024-2028) is a 4year multidisciplinary project led by ETH and WSL. It is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. UPSCALE will advance forest health and mortality monitoring by bridging methods and disciplines. We will integrate early warning signals for the detection of tree health decline, and mortality in trees and forests across spatial scales – from the tree to the landscape level. We will link high spatial and temporal resolution remote sensing data with traditional ground-based forest monitoring data, novel close-to-real time tree and ecosystem level assessments, and belowground information to identify key proxies of forest drought stress, tree health, and mortality risk. Our work will provide a solid backdrop aiding decision-makers in prioritizing their silvicultural, and forest management planning activities, ensuring the sustainable provision of forest goods and ecosystem services under future climate conditions.

15. Fully Funded PhD Position in land use decision modeling

MOSAIC aims (1) to gain a comprehensive understanding of the motivations and drivers behind land use decisions (e.g. cultural factors, social identities, cognitive frameworks, market prices, legal frameworks, etc.), including their relative importance and interactions, within and between relevant governance levels, ranging from individual land managers to supra-national organisations, (2) to gain a thorough understanding of the awareness of key land use decision makers about climate change, biodiversity loss and renewable energy challenges, and their willingness to address these challenges, (3) to characterise future land use patterns based on spatial, social and economic models that integrate key insights into the motivations and drivers behind land use related decisions and the result of these decisions in causing displacement effects, i.e. indirect land use changes in other parts of the world.

Application Deadline: September 15th, 2023

16. fully funded phd position in robot-assisted edna collection.

The historic Kunming-Montreal Agreement of 18 December 2022 marked a significant milestone as over 200 countries came together to commit to the cessation and reversal of biodiversity loss. However, achieving a nature-positive future remains a formidable task, hindered in part by the absence of efficient and accurate tools for capturing comprehensive snapshots of global biodiversity. This is precisely where the integration of robots and environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies can truly make a difference. The assessment of biodiversity through eDNA entails the collection and sequencing of genetic traces shed by local species within their environment. This innovative approach has revolutionized biodiversity monitoring by offering a non-invasive means to detect multiple species, including those that are notoriously elusive, from a single environmental sample, such as water, soil, or air.

17. Fully Funded PhD Position in Microalgae in Human Nutrition and Health

Micronutrient deficiency represents one of the biggest global nutritional problems. For instance, iron deficiency is the most common global nutritional deficiency, affecting more than 2 billion people, among which more than half are anaemic. Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a global health problem that causes impaired cognitive development and growth in children, decreased work productivity and increased maternal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. It is particularly common in low- and middle-income countries due to low-iron diets and primarily affects women and children.

18. Fully Funded PhD Position in Re-engineering informal construction through circular practices and models

This PhD position on circular practices in informal construction is at the Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture (CEA) at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and will be conducted in coordination with the Housing unit (School of Built Environment and Development Studies), at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We are seeking a highly motivated and qualified PhD researcher to join our team working on developing material passports for low-income economies in the context of re-engineering informal construction through circular practices and models. You will be responsible for conducting research and developing methodologies for the creation and implementation of material passports in South African vulnerable communities.

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