All about employment

Employees in administration, IT or technical fields are typically employed on a permanent basis. However, there is one exception: If they are hired as part of a temporary project or a professorship that is due to end (emeritus) within the next five years, a fixed-term contract can be issued for up to five years.

Based on the job description, HR partners assign your position to a function and a function level within the Download ETH Domain's function grid (PDF, 106 KB). For each function level, the ETH Domain's salary system specifies a salary band in which the salary level is determined individually. The salary is paid in thirteen monthly instalments.

The external page ETH Domain's Personnel Ordinance (in German) serves as the legal basis.

Doctoral students are employed on a temporary basis for a maximum of six years.

• The initial contract is issued for at least eighteen months.
• Subsequent contracts are issued for at least twelve months.
• In the final year, contracts with a minimum duration of three months are possible.

Doctoral students typically receive a fixed-rate salary, paid in twelve monthly instalments. In exceptional cases, a lump-sum salary may be agreed upon.

The ETH Zurich ordinance on the doctorate serves as the legal basis. Employment is based on the directives for doctoral students (please refer to the Download information sheet (PDF, 831 KB) for additional information).

For doctoral supervisors:
Further information on the employment of doctoral students can be found in the doctoral supervisor's handbook.

Postdocs and scientific assistants I & II (overview of scientific functions at ETH Zurich) are employed on a temporary basis for up to six years.

They typically receive a fixed-rate salary, paid in twelve monthly instalments. In exceptional cases, a lump-sum salary may be agreed upon.

The ordinance governing scientific employees serves as the legal basis.

Established researchers and scientific collaborators are employed for up to six years*.

The two functions are divided into group I and II. Based on this division, they will be assigned to function level 9 or 10 in the Download ETH Domain's function grid (PDF, 106 KB). For each function level, the ETH Domain's salary system specifies a salary band in which the salary level is determined individually. The salary is paid in thirteen monthly installments.

In exceptional cases, a lump-sum salary may be agreed upon.

The ordinance governing scientific employees serves as legal basis.

*For scientific collaborators I with function level 9 who are direct hires, the maximum length of employment is nine years.

Senior scientists and executive scientific collaborators are employed on a permanent basis.

The two functions are divided into group I and II. Based on this, they will be assigned to function level 10, 11, 12 or 13 in the Download ETH Domain's function grid (PDF, 106 KB). For each function level, the ETH Domain's salary system specifies a salary band in which the salary level is determined individually. The salary is paid in thirteen monthly installments.

The ordinance governing scientific employees serves as legal basis.

Professors are hired on a permanent basis. Assistant professors receive a fixed-term contract. Their employment conditions and salary ranges are based on the external page ordinance of the ETH board for professors (in German).

For professors of practice, the regulations for professors of practice at ETH Zurich (in German) apply.

For further information, visit:

• Your professorship
• Types of professorships