Scientific Assistant / Scientific Assistantess

Job Offer: Scientific Assistant in Landscape Architecture

The Chair of Landscape Architecture and Geohistorical Practice, led by Assistant Professor Aisling O’Carroll at the Department of Architecture, ETH Zurich, is seeking a highly motivated scientific assistant to support the research and teaching activities of the chair. This is a fixed-term position for nine months, ending in February 2027, with the potential for extension.

About the Chair

The Chair engages in both research and teaching within the Master of Science in Landscape Architecture (MScLA) program. We focus on developing interdisciplinary design and research methods that integrate tools from the natural sciences, humanities, and design practice to propose innovative solutions to urgent climate challenges. Our research bridges landscape architectural design with expanding considerations in history and theory, employing methodologies that include digital sensing, archival research, and design practice to adapt landscapes facing transformation due to climate change.

Teaching Responsibilities

As a scientific assistant, you will support the advanced design studio for second-year MScLA students. This studio focuses on large-scale landscape architectural proposals through directed research and an iterative design process. Students will engage in fieldwork, archival studies, and utilize both digital and analogue design methods to address dynamic landscapes while considering their historical contexts and future trajectories.

The design studio is conducted in the autumn semester, complemented by preparation and research activities in the spring semester, typically involving around 20 students per semester.

Position Details

We are looking for a scientific assistant(s) (40-80%) to support both research activities and teaching within the MSc Landscape Architecture advanced design studio. Your responsibilities will include:

Research Responsibilities (40%):

• Collaborate with researchers within the chair and other groups to develop investigations and disseminate research findings.
• Conduct original research involving fieldwork, design studies, and archival research.
• Contribute to project management and timelines, and develop contacts with interdisciplinary researchers and public institutions.
• Assist in collaborative paper writing and publish results in peer-reviewed venues.
• Design public-facing exhibitions to communicate research findings.

Teaching Responsibilities (40%):

• Prepare materials and documents for the design studio and organize studio sessions.
• Support students during desk critiques and evaluate their projects.
• Deliver short lectures and coordinate studio field trips.
• Collaborate with other modules taught by the chair.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess:

• A Master’s degree in architecture or landscape architecture, with experience in research and teaching.
• A strong curiosity for natural sciences and an interest in interdisciplinary work.
• Design experience in landscape architecture and the ability to teach and conduct research in English; knowledge of German is desirable.
• Working experience in a landscape architecture office to assist students with their projects.

Benefits

This position offers opportunities for personal and professional development through part-time research and teaching, contributing to meaningful change in society. You will be part of a collaborative, international community that encourages experimentation, reflection, and innovation, while building interdisciplinary connections through research and teaching activities.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.