Scholarships

🎓 Fully Funded PhD Position at Eawag Switzerland 2026 — Science Integration in NCCR-Clim+

Gradualin

May 7, 2026
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Switzerland’s world-renowned aquatic research institute is now hiring a fully funded PhD researcher to work at the cutting edge of climate science, interdisciplinary research, and societal impact. Eawag — the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, part of the prestigious ETH Domain (the same family as ETH Zurich and EPFL) — is offering a 100% paid, 4-year PhD position in Science Integration within the newly launched NCCR-Clim+ national research programme. If you have a master’s degree in sociology, political science, environmental science, or a related social science field, and you are passionate about how large research teams can work better across disciplines, this opportunity could define your academic career. The deadline is June 7, 2026 — and this complete guide has everything you need.

⚡ Quick Info Box

Detail	Information
Institution	Eawag — Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Research Programme	NCCR-Clim+ (National Centre of Competence in Research)
Country	🇨🇭 Switzerland
Location	Eawag Dübendorf (near Zurich)
Degree Level	PhD — 4 Years (100% Position)
Funding Type	Full Employment Contract
Application Deadline	June 7, 2026
Start Date	Preferably September 1, 2026
Open To	International Candidates Welcome
Working Language	English + one Swiss national language
Application Portal	apply.refline.ch/673277/1355/pub/1/index.html
Contact	sabine.hoffmann@eawag.ch

🎓 Opportunity Overview

Eawag is not a typical university department — it is one of the world’s most respected independent research institutes, part of the ETH Domain, Switzerland’s elite network of federal research institutions that includes ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne. Eawag’s unique strength lies in combining natural scientists, social scientists, and engineers to address humanity’s most pressing water and environmental challenges.

This PhD position is embedded within the newly funded NCCR-Clim+ — Switzerland’s first fully interdisciplinary, nationwide climate research community. Approved for funding by the Swiss federal government, NCCR-Clim+ is co-led by ETH Zurich and the University of Bern, and brings together 47 researchers from climate, political, and social sciences. It focuses on pressing climate extreme events — heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires — and their impact on Swiss society and beyond.

What makes this PhD truly rare is its focus on how interdisciplinary research works — not just what it studies. The PhD researcher will conduct “accompanying research” (Begleitforschung) — studying the NCCR-Clim+ itself as a case study in science integration, generating practical insights that will shape how large research consortia operate globally.

The successful candidate will be based at Eawag Dübendorf, just outside Zurich, and will be supervised by Dr Sabine Hoffmann within the Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research Group of the Department of Environmental Social Sciences (ESS).

🎓 Funding & Salary — What You Will Receive

This is a full employment position at 100% — not a fellowship, stipend, or partial contract. As an Eawag employee in Switzerland, you receive:

💰 Full Swiss PhD salary — Eawag follows ETH Domain pay scales. Swiss PhD salaries in ETH-affiliated institutes typically range from CHF 47,000–52,000 per year gross (~USD 52,000–57,000 / €48,000–53,000) (verify exact current rate with Eawag HR)
🏥 Full Swiss social insurance — including health insurance contributions, pension (AHV/BVG), and unemployment insurance as a standard employee
📅 4-year guaranteed contract — full job security for the entire doctoral period
🌍 Conference travel funding — standard in ETH Domain positions for presenting research internationally
🔬 Access to Eawag’s world-class interdisciplinary research infrastructure
🤝 Integration into the NCCR-Clim+ network of 20 leading Swiss research institutions
📚 Access to ETH Zurich and University of Bern academic resources and facilities
🏢 Flexible workplace and working hours — Eawag explicitly supports work-life balance and compatible arrangements

The good news for international researchers: Switzerland’s PhD salaries are among the highest in the world for doctoral researchers. Combined with Switzerland’s excellent quality of life, public transport, and research culture, this is a premium career opportunity by any global standard.

🎓 Eligibility Criteria

To be a competitive candidate, you should meet the following requirements:

✅ Master’s degree (MSc) in social sciences — e.g., sociology, political science, anthropology, science and technology studies, environmental sciences, or a related field
✅ Strong interest in “accompanying research” — studying interdisciplinary processes at the interface of different disciplines, teams, and institutions
✅ Experience with qualitative social science methods — including: semi-structured interviews, participant observations, focus groups, co-creation workshops
✅ Ability to conduct qualitative content analysis — both inductive and deductive coding approaches
✅ Experience writing peer-reviewed scientific publications and/or practice briefs or other innovative research outputs
✅ Intrinsic motivation for interdisciplinarity — in both theory and practice
✅ Strong integrative, social, and emotional intelligence — this role requires working across 20+ institutions and diverse personality types
✅ Command of English — essential for all research and publications
✅ At least one Swiss national language (German, French, or Italian) — required for stakeholder engagement (verify level required with supervisors)
✅ Applicants with disabilities or care responsibilities are explicitly welcomed — Eawag has flexible arrangements to support all employees

On IELTS/TOEFL: No specific language test score is mentioned in the posting. However, strong written and spoken English is essential. International applicants should confirm language documentation requirements directly with Dr Sabine Hoffmann at sabine.hoffmann@eawag.ch.

🎓 Who Should Apply — And Who Should Not

✅ Apply If You:

Hold an MSc in sociology, political science, environmental science, anthropology, or science & technology studies
Have hands-on experience with qualitative research methods (interviews, workshops, participant observation)
Are genuinely curious about how interdisciplinary science works — not just what it produces
Are excited by the idea of your research shaping future national and international research consortia
Can work comfortably across multiple institutions, disciplines, and personality types
Have basic or working knowledge of at least one Swiss national language
Can relocate to the Zurich/Dübendorf area and begin by September 2026

❌ Don’t Apply If You:

Hold only a bachelor’s degree — a master’s is required
Work exclusively with quantitative methods and have no qualitative research experience
Are not genuinely interested in meta-research (studying research processes themselves)
Cannot commit to 4 years based in Switzerland
Have no knowledge of any Swiss national language (German, French, or Italian)
Are seeking a remote PhD — field engagement with NCCR-Clim+ teams is central to this role

🎓 Research Focus — What You Will Actually Study

This PhD uses NCCR-Clim+ itself as a living laboratory for understanding science integration. Your research will address four central questions:

🔍 What conditions enable or hinder science integration within the NCCR-Clim+? What are the structural, cultural, and interpersonal factors that determine whether interdisciplinary research actually works?
👥 What opportunities and challenges do NCCR-Clim+ Co-Directors, the CERESS Executive Co-Directors, Lead PIs, Partners, Members, and Early Career Researchers actually experience regarding science integration?
📖 What lessons and best practices can be derived from the NCCR-Clim+ experience for other large research consortia — both in Switzerland and internationally?
🌐 How can these insights scale? What practical recommendations can be developed for academies, funding agencies, and future NCCRs?

Your research methods will include:

Semi-structured interviews with NCCR-Clim+ team members at all levels
Co-creation workshops with researchers across institutions
Participant observation within the consortium
Qualitative content analysis (inductive and deductive coding)
Peer-reviewed publications + a practice brief for funding agencies

The good news: Your work will produce outputs that directly feed into how Switzerland — and the world — designs large-scale interdisciplinary research. This is not a PhD that sits on a shelf.

🎓 Required Application Documents

Submit the following by June 7, 2026 through the official portal only:

📄 Curriculum Vitae (CV) — academic and professional background
📝 Publication List — list of any peer-reviewed publications, reports, or practice briefs you have produced (early-career candidates without publications should include theses or working papers)
📬 Two Recommendation Letters — from academic supervisors or professional references who can speak to your research abilities

⚠️ Critical: Applications submitted by email or post will not be considered. You must apply through the official Refline portal: apply.refline.ch/673277/1355/pub/1/index.html

🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process

Read the full position description at the Eawag official website carefully
Contact your two referees early — give them at least 2–3 weeks to prepare strong letters
Update your CV — highlight qualitative research methods, interdisciplinary experience, and any publications
Prepare your publication list — even working papers, theses, or reports count for early-career candidates
Submit your application through the official portal at apply.refline.ch/673277/1355/pub/1/index.html — no other submission method will be accepted
Contact the supervisors for questions — Dr Sabine Hoffmann (sabine.hoffmann@eawag.ch) or Prof Dr Karin Ingold (karin.ingold@unibe.ch) for position-related queries (do not send application documents by email)
Await shortlisting and interviews — timeline not specified; check back with contacts after submission

💡 Pro tip: In your cover letter or CV, specifically highlight any experience working across disciplinary boundaries or within large multi-institutional projects. The entire purpose of this PhD is to study that process — so showing you have lived it will dramatically strengthen your application.

🎓 Important Dates & Deadlines

Milestone	Date
⚠️ Application Deadline	June 7, 2026
Preferred Start Date	September 1, 2026
Contract Duration	4 Years (100% position)

📌 Bookmark this page and check back for any updates on interview dates or shortlisting timelines.

🎓 Why Eawag — Why Switzerland?

Choosing Eawag for your PhD means joining one of the world’s most innovative research environments. Eawag is among the world’s leading aquatic research institutes, combining natural and social scientists and engineers to permit a wide range of research across the continuum from relatively unperturbed aquatic ecosystems to fully engineered wastewater management systems. Its membership in the ETH Domain gives PhD researchers access to the resources, networks, and prestige of ETH Zurich — consistently ranked #1 in Continental Europe and top 10 globally.

Dübendorf and Zurich as a research base offer:

🏔️ One of the world’s highest quality of life environments — mountains, lakes, clean air, safe cities
🚆 Switzerland’s world-famous public transport system — Zurich is 15 minutes from Dübendorf
💼 A thriving international research community — English is widely spoken in Swiss academic circles
🌍 Easy access to all of Europe — excellent connections for conference travel
🏥 World-class healthcare included in your employment contract
💰 One of Europe’s highest PhD salaries, offsetting Switzerland’s higher cost of living

What makes this position historically significant: NCCR-Clim+ received funding of 16.88 million CHF from federal sources and brings together 47 Swiss researchers from climate, political, and social sciences. Your PhD will be part of building this programme from the ground up — a once-in-a-career opportunity to shape how Switzerland tackles the climate crisis at a national scale.

🎓 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Do I need IELTS or TOEFL to apply for this Eawag PhD position? A: No specific IELTS or TOEFL score is mentioned in the official posting. However, strong written and spoken English is a must. You will also need at least one Swiss national language. International applicants should confirm any language documentation requirements directly with Dr Sabine Hoffmann at sabine.hoffmann@eawag.ch before applying.

Q: Can international students (non-Swiss, non-EU) apply for this position? A: Yes — the posting does not restrict by nationality. Eawag and the ETH Domain are highly international environments. Successful international candidates will need to obtain a Swiss work/residence permit, which Eawag’s HR department typically helps facilitate for new employees.

Q: What is the salary for this PhD position? A: The posting confirms this is a 100% employment position. ETH Domain PhD salaries typically range from CHF 47,000–52,000 per year gross (approximately USD 52,000–57,000). Verify the exact current Eawag pay scale at eawag.ch/en/info/portrait/jobs/ or with HR.

Q: Is this a scholarship or a paid job? A: It is a full employment contract at 100% — not a scholarship or stipend. You will receive a Swiss salary with all social insurance benefits included.

Q: What language do I need for this PhD beyond English? A: You need command of English plus at least one Swiss national language (German, French, or Italian). This is explicitly required in the job posting. German would be most practical for daily life in Dübendorf/Zurich.

Q: Can I apply if I have no publications yet? A: The posting asks for a publication list — which suggests some research output is expected. However, for a PhD position, this could include master’s theses, working papers, or reports. Contact Dr Sabine Hoffmann to clarify if you are an early-career researcher with limited formal publications.

🎓 Official Source & Contact

🌐 Application Portal: apply.refline.ch/673277/1355/pub/1/index.html
📧 Primary Contact: Dr Sabine Hoffmann — sabine.hoffmann@eawag.ch
📧 Secondary Contact: Prof Dr Karin Ingold — karin.ingold@unibe.ch
🏛️ Institution: Eawag, Department of Environmental Social Sciences (ESS)
🌐 Eawag Website: www.eawag.ch
🌐 NCCR-Clim+ Website: nccr-climplus.ch

🎓 Complete Summary Table

Detail	Information
Institution	Eawag — Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Research Programme	NCCR-Clim+ (Climate Extremes and Society)
Country	🇨🇭 Switzerland
Location	Dübendorf (near Zurich)
Degree	PhD — 4 Years, 100% position
Research Focus	Science Integration in interdisciplinary research consortia
Salary	~CHF 47,000–52,000/year gross (ETH Domain scale)
Benefits	Full Swiss employment: health, pension, insurance
Required Degree	MSc in Social Sciences or related field
Languages Required	English + one Swiss national language
Qualitative Methods	Required (interviews, workshops, participant observation)
Application Deadline	June 7, 2026
Start Date	September 1, 2026 (preferred)
Application Method	Online portal ONLY — no email applications
Contact	sabine.hoffmann@eawag.ch