Digital Catalyst / Digital Catalyzer

ETH Zürich - December 12, 2025

Join the ETH Student Project House!

At the ETH Student Project House (SPH), we inspire and empower students to cultivate a maker-innovator mindset. We believe that by exploring their ideas and developing personal projects, students gain valuable hands-on experience and learn essential skills for their future. Our ecosystem encourages students—Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral—to ideate, build prototypes, and continuously test and refine their creations.

Our Supportive Team

Our interdisciplinary team of 30 individuals supports students with the tools, knowledge, and guidance necessary to pursue their passions. Our well-equipped Makerspace offers access to a wide range of tools and equipment for prototyping. To help projects grow beyond the idea stage, we also provide co-working, ideation, and event spaces, along with personalized coaching.

Introducing Our Digital Makerspace

In order to support ETH students engaged in digital projects, we are building a Digital Makerspace. This initiative aims to provide hardware, software, digital expertise, and a vibrant community of digital innovators. Many of our offerings are entirely digital, and we are dedicated to developing a variety of solutions to strengthen this space.

Our Open and Creative Environment

You will be working in one of the most inspiring spaces at ETH Zürich—surrounded by 3D printers, computers, whiteboards, ideation tools, and custom-designed furniture. We currently operate from two locations: a five-storey house near the ETH main building and one on the Hönggerberg campus. These open workspaces promote collaboration among student project teams, fostering a culture of exchange and creativity.

Diverse Community and Communication

Our community is comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, and we primarily communicate in English. We value the power of open source and are committed to giving back to the community whenever we can.

Your Responsibilities

Below is a selection of projects you will be involved in:

  • Digital Makerspace Tools:
    • Participate in the design and delivery of services that empower ETH students with their digital projects (e.g., Webhosting, LLM Proxy).
    • Create a hardware portfolio (e.g., AR/VR glasses, video equipment) and make it available to students through a lending system.
    • Create a software tool portfolio for student access.
  • Digital Makerspace Workshops:
    • Develop workshop formats to engage students in digital topics.
    • Conduct workshops around digital topics (e.g., Make your first web app).
  • Digital Makerspace Community:
    • Engage with students during help sessions.
    • Possibly create a community of digital makerspace instructors to assist during workshops or offer peer-to-peer support.
  • Digital Makerspace Development:
    • Enhance the existing offerings of the Digital Makerspace.
    • Diversify and expand our services.
    • Bring your ambitious ideas to help ETH students succeed with their digital projects.

Required Qualifications

To support our students and the team, we are seeking candidates who possess the following:

  • A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or related field, or equivalent knowledge and experience.
  • A passion for bringing projects to life.
  • Demonstrable experience with digital tools (e.g., Docker, networking, Unix, Windows).
  • Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, JavaScript, PHP).
  • A strong motivation to learn new languages, tools, and technologies.
  • A driven and energetic personality.
  • A genuine interest in supporting others.

A Note: Research indicates that women and individuals from marginalized groups tend to apply only when they meet all criteria. If you believe you’re qualified but don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply online using the form below.

Why Join Us?

Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development but also actively contributes to positive societal change. You can expect numerous benefits, such as public transport season tickets, car sharing, a variety of sports offered by ASVZ, child care, and appealing pension benefits.

We offer a one-year contract with the possibility of extension, with funding guaranteed for a minimum of three years. We value personal growth through regular team feedback sessions, believing that the best solutions arise from collaboration.

We Would Love to Meet You!

Please record a maximum two-minute video introducing yourself and showcasing the coolest digital project you have realized (e.g., webpage, app, project). We're not looking for video production skills—just use your smartphone, be yourself, and don’t worry about editing. We want to meet the real you!

Upload the video on a platform of your choice (Dropbox, YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, etc.) and include the URL link in your cover letter.

Application Details

We look forward to receiving your online application, which should include the following documents:

  • Cover letter
  • CV
  • Link to your video clip

Questions regarding the position can be directed to Isabella Ilchmann at isabella.ilchmann@sph.ethz.ch.

Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

The application period will remain open until January 14, 2026, and may be extended at our discretion based on factors such as application volume and suitability.

Further information about the ETH Student Project House and our equipment can be found on our website or on Instagram.

Apply online using the form below.

Location : Zürich ETH-Zentrum
Country : Switzerland

Application Form

Please enter your information in the following form and attach your resume (CV)

Only pdf, Word, or OpenOffice file. Maximum file size: 3 MB.