Academic Career

Qualified and motivated junior academics are the driving force of scholarship. UZH thus strives to attract the best up-and-coming scholars. The University promotes talent at all career levels and offers attractive employment conditions.

As set out by the League of European Research Universities (LERU), an academic career can be divided into four phases:

1. Doctoral study
2. Postdoctoral study
3. Assistant professorship
4. University or full professorship

At UZH, junior scholars can assume various roles when going through these career steps. In general, the individual phases are linked to some type of employment (for example, a research associate), but often only serve to designate a person's title or academic status. The chart depicting academic posts at UZH (PDF, 86 KB) provides an overview of the phases.

Junior academic positions for PhD candidates and postdocs are by nature temporary. The appointment to a permanent professorship (called a “chair” (Lehrstuhl) at UZH) as an associate or full professor is the final phase in an academic career.

Scholars who are not pursuing an academic career can take on employment – generally as part of a project – as “wissenschaftliche Mitarbeitende” or academic associates. This type of employment is often a permanent position.

Scholars with a habilitation are authorized to use the title "Privatdozent".

Qualified scholars can find employment on a semester basis as a temporary instructor during any phase of their career.