Landscape Architecture Opportunity
The Chair of Landscape Architecture, led by Prof. Teresa Galí-Izard at the Institute of Landscape and Urban Studies (LUS), is a part of the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich. The Chair of Being Alive investigates the relationship between landscape architecture, ecology, and territorial transformation through design-led research and teaching.
Position Overview
The Digital Design Methods I (DDM-I) module is a foundational component of the Master of Science in Landscape Architecture programme. It introduces incoming international students—from backgrounds in architecture and landscape architecture—to the computational tools and workflows essential for landscape design at ETH Zurich. This is a fixed-term position running from September through December each year.
Role Structure
The role is structured in two phases:
- Intensive Teaching Phase (September–October): Regular weekly sessions will be conducted, with classes from mid-September through mid-October.
- Support Phase (November–December): Involvement during this period will be on an as-needed basis for student follow-up, grading, and coordination.
Key Responsibilities
As the DDM-I Instructor, you will be responsible for:
- Delivering lectures and hands-on exercises in Digital Design Methods I (DDM-I) for the first-semester MSc Landscape Architecture cohort.
- Teaching Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper, focusing on data structures, data manipulation, and parametric workflows for landscape design applications.
- Instructing QGIS for geospatial analysis in the context of landscape and territorial design.
- Guiding students through the Being Alive: Language and Being Alive: Terrain exercise sequences as defined in the DDM-I curriculum.
- Assessing student exercises throughout the teaching period.
- Coordinating with the Chair of Landscape Architecture on course delivery and pedagogical approach.
Required Qualifications
- Advanced proficiency in Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper, including a deep understanding of Grasshopper data structures (trees, branches, paths) and data manipulation techniques.
- Background in landscape architecture with demonstrated experience in landscape design.
- Proficiency in QGIS or equivalent GIS tools for geospatial analysis.
- Experience in teaching, tutoring, or workshop facilitation in a higher education or professional setting.
- Excellent communication skills in English (the programme’s language of instruction).
Additional Qualifications (Assets)
- An active GitHub profile with a tracked commit history demonstrating software development practice and open-source contributions.
- Development experience with C#, particularly in the context of Grasshopper plug-in development or Rhino scripting (RhinoCommon).
- Demonstrated experience with agentic development, such as building AI-assisted workflows, LLM-based toolchains, or autonomous design agents.
Benefits
- A stimulating academic environment at one of the world’s leading universities of science and technology.
- The opportunity to contribute to an innovative, design-led landscape architecture programme.
- Collaboration with an internationally recognized research chair at the forefront of landscape and ecological design.
- Competitive compensation in accordance with ETH Zurich employment guidelines.
- Access to ETH Zurich’s state-of-the-art computational infrastructure and facilities.
Application Process
We encourage interested candidates to apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered. Please submit the following documents as a single PDF or as separate uploads:
- Cover letter addressing your motivation and relevant experience.
- Curriculum vitae (CV).
- Portfolio showcasing landscape architecture design work and digital/computational projects.
- Project history with brief descriptions of relevant teaching or professional engagements.
- GitHub profile link (if applicable).
For further information about the ETH Master in Landscape Architecture at ETH Zurich, please visit our website. Any questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Teresa Gali-Izard at gali-izard@arch.ethz.ch.