Department of Political Science

PhD position in the research group of Prof. Daniel Kübler 60 %

Start of employment 01.02.2026, temporary

The Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich invites applications for a PhD position in the research group of Prof. Daniel Kübler, who holds the chair of Democracy and Public Governance and serves as the director of UZH's Centre for Democracy Studies.

The Department of Political Science offers excellent support in a vibrant research community and is committed to advancing young scholars' careers.

Your responsibilities

The PhD student will pursue his or her own research in the broad field of democracy studies and/or public governance, with a particular focus on Switzerland and its direct democratic polity.

The PhD student will also be enrolled in the Department's Doctoral Programme in Democracy Studies, which offers advanced methodological and substantive training.

She or he will contribute to teaching in the field of Swiss politics, empirical research on democracy, or public governance (2 hours per week), advising of BA and MA students, and some administrative tasks. Collaboration in research projects running in the research group, as well as in the Centre for Democracy Studies is encouraged.

Your profile

The successful candidate should hold an MA/MSc in Political Science or Public Administration, have a solid training in methods, and be able to work in both English and German (knowledge of French is an asset). She or he should have a strong interest in academic research and motivation to pursue an academic career, and the ability to work both independently and in a team.

Information on your application

What we offer
The PhD student will have the possibility to develop his or her own research agenda, in a leading department with highly motivated and engaged members. Conditional on approval of the PhD proposal by the end of the first year, funding is guaranteed for four years total. Salary is according to cantonal guidelines and approximately 57'927 CHF per year (gross salary, 0.6 FTE).


Place of work
Zurich – Oerlikon

Start of employment
Start date of the employment : 01.02.2026
Application deadline: 31.08.2025

How to apply
If you are interested in applying for this position, please upload your application as one pdf-file, including motivation letter, CV, proof of academic performance and (if available) a writing sample (e.g., seminar/research paper)

What we offer

Our employees benefit from a wide range of attractive offers. More

What we offer

Work-Life Balance
  • Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing)
  • Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH


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Learning and Development
  • Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich
  • Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

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Food
  • Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias
  • Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

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Healthcare
  • Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ
  • Free seasonal flu vaccinations
  • Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

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Discounts
  • Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space
  • Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions
  • Special conditions on hotel reservations

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Conditions of Employment
  • Policies of the UZH
  • Most UZH staff are employed according to public law


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International Services
  • Support for people from outside Switzerland

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Campuses
  • Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren
  • Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg

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Further information

Questions about the job

Prof. Dr. Daniel Kübler
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Contact question to: Prof. Dr. Daniel Kübler

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Questions about the application procedure

Susanne Arlt Personalverantwortliche 044 634 39 19
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Contact question to: Susanne Arlt

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Working at UZH
The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!
More → https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/work.html

Working at UZH

The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer! More
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