Job Opportunity at the University of Zurich
The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a variety of attractive positions across multiple subject areas and professional fields. With approximately 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams, the University provides an inspiring working environment centered on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Join us and leverage your talent and skills! Explore more about UZH as an employer!
Your Responsibilities
This position offers a strategic opportunity to develop interdisciplinary courses that integrate expertise in the study of global visual cultures—both historical and contemporary—with computational analytical methods and critical approaches to digital tools and artifacts.
The successful candidate will possess a doctoral degree in one of the following fields: Art History, Visual Culture, Media Studies, Archaeology, Film Studies, Education, Digital Humanities, Digital Culture Studies, or a closely related field, with a focus on the computational analysis of visual materials. They will specialize in digital curation and analysis of visual cultural data, including artworks, photographs, maps, films, videos, digital media (memes, Instagram posts), and more. Expertise in computational methods such as computer vision, machine learning, network analysis, data management, and digital preservation, as well as critical perspectives on tool and data criticism and digital ethics, are essential. The candidate must also have proven teaching experience in computational methods within the context of visual culture studies.
They will engage in cross-institutional or transdisciplinary collaborations with experts from various disciplines and cultural domains, including Art History, Film Studies, Archaeology, Media and Communication, and Educational Sciences, to ensure relevance and adaptability amidst evolving academic and technological landscapes.
Teaching Responsibilities
- Teaching responsibilities equivalent to 8 weekly teaching units (each 45 minutes), typically corresponding to four courses per semester at the BA, MA, and/or PhD levels in the programs of Film Studies, Art History, Archaeology, Media and Communication, and Educational Sciences.
- Administering exams (student performance assessments).
- Participating in student information events and preparing informational materials for students.
Didactic and Institutional Responsibilities
- Participating in university-level pedagogical training.
- Offering cross-institutional training for instructors teaching the modules, covering technical fundamentals, adaptation, and implementation of the latest applications/programs, and transdisciplinary didactics.
Research
- Demonstrating visible research activity in the field of Digital Humanities with a focus on visual cultural data.
- Authoring scholarly publications.
- Collaborating and networking with research partners within and beyond the involved departments.
- Participating in conferences, including contributions of original research.
Your Profile
Required Qualifications:
- PhD in one of the following fields: Art History, Visual Culture, Media Studies, Archaeology, Film Studies, Education, Digital Humanities, Digital Visual Culture Studies (or a closely related field focusing on visual culture) with documented experience in the computational analysis of visual cultural materials. Candidates should present evidence of their experience, such as project portfolios or scholarly publications, as well as proven teaching experience in computational methods within visual culture studies. Understanding various forms of cultural data, particularly those produced outside the Euro-American context, is an asset.
- Expertise in computational methods and approaches, including:
- Digital curation and data management of visual cultural data
- Computer vision and image analysis
- Machine learning applications for cultural visual data
- Mapping visual data and network analysis
- Critical approaches such as critical data studies, tool criticism, and digital ethics.
- Demonstrated experience in university-level teaching in computational methods for the study of visual cultural data at undergraduate and/or graduate levels (experience at the PhD level is a plus). This includes developing and delivering courses, as well as supervising student projects. Experience in teaching across disciplines or mixed-method courses, along with the ability to adapt content for diverse audiences, is expected.
- Ability to teach and supervise in English (knowledge of German at the time of appointment is a plus but not a requirement).
Apply online using the form below. Note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.
Contact Information
Vera Müller-Hellstern
HR Manager
personal@khist.uzh.ch