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.

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 Life is 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 one new NOMIS-ETH Fellow will be selected.

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…