Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) / Professor of Energy Technology

The Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT; www.mavt.ethz.ch) at ETH Zurich invites applications for the above-mentioned position at the tenure-track assistant professor or associate/full professor level.

The new professor will contribute to D-MAVT’s global reputation by performing original and relevant research in the field of energy conversion and storage across scales, driven by fundamental challenges and with the aim of resulting in technologies for societally relevant applications. She/he is expected to establish an experimental program focused on scalable technologies to convert and/or store energy.

Decarbonizing our energy system calls for new versatile technologies for converting and storing different forms of energy. The development of these technologies requires significant advances at the fundamental level. Translating these advances into cost-efficient and sustainable technologies at a global scale requires a pragmatic and visionary engineering approach. 

The research activities of the new professor should therefore be situated within the broad area of energy conversion and storage. Examples of potential areas include, but are not limited to, synthetic fuels, CO2 capture and conversion, power-to-x technologies, and renewable energy systems. Successful candidates should showcase the ability to turn fundamental advances into innovative practical technologies. They should also exhibit the capacity to evolve their research activities over the course of their career, supported by a solid foundation in fundamental principles of mechanical and process engineering.

Successful candidates should hold a PhD or equivalent in engineering or a related field and have an outstanding international track record of accomplishments in the fields outlined above, either in academia or industry. Depending on the level of appointment, they are expected to teach Master’s-level courses related to energy conversion and storage, as well as the underlying fundamentals in mechanical and process engineering on the Bachelor level, such as thermodynamics. In general, at ETH Zurich, undergraduate-level courses are taught in German or English, and graduate-level courses are taught in English. The ability to build and lead a successful research group is expected.

Assistant professorships have been established to promote the careers of early-career scientists. ETH Zurich implements a tenure track system equivalent to that of other top international universities. The level of the appointment will depend on the successful candidate's qualifications.

ETH Zurich provides globally competitive salaries, substantial research funding, ample start-up resources, and a world-class research infrastructure. In Switzerland, academics benefit from numerous research funding opportunities and an exceptionally high quality of life. Furthermore, ETH Zurich is an equal opportunity and family-friendly employer, values diversity, and is responsive to the needs of dual-career couples.

Please apply online: www.facultyaffairs.ethz.ch

Applications should include a covering letter; a curriculum vitae; a list of publications; a list of projects; three statements on a) research, b) teaching, c) leadership; three key publications; descriptions of the three most important achievements; and a certificate of the highest degree. Please note that the covering letter should be formally addressed to the President of ETH Zurich, Prof. Dr. Joël Mesot. The closing date for applications is 30 September 2026.