Job Opportunity: Technical Director at the Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS)
The Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS) at ETH Zurich is seeking a Technical Director to lead the operation of the Environmental Chemical Analysis Facility (ECAF), a newly established departmental platform. The Technical Director will act as the senior technical manager of ECAF, ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of instruments and user facilities in support of research and training. This role combines operational leadership of a modern analytical facility with close scientific interaction with a diverse user community.
About the Environmental Chemical Analysis Facility (ECAF)
ECAF serves as a user facility for chemical analysis instrumentation, supporting research and teaching across D-USYS and other ETH Zurich and ETH Domain units. The facility encompasses various mass spectrometry (MS) instruments (HR-MS, ICP-MS), standalone and MS-coupled chromatography systems (GC, LC, IC), and other instrumentation for elemental analyses and stable isotope measurements. ECAF is designed to be a robust, user-focused platform characterized by standardized workflows, a strong safety culture, and comprehensive training to facilitate chemical analyses critical for environmental research.
Key Responsibilities
- Facility Launch: As the inaugural Technical Director, your vision and leadership will be essential in establishing ECAF as a modern, well-run, state-of-the-art chemical analysis facility. You'll help craft its policies, procedures, user culture, and strategic direction.
- Facility Operations: Oversee the daily activities of ECAF, ensuring instruments and user facilities are fully operational and accessible.
- Scientific and Research Support: Assist users in developing and optimizing analytical protocols for challenging analytes and complex matrices. Provide consultation during experimental design and help translate research needs into effective analytical workflows.
- Supervision: Collaborate with the ECAF faculty Director to share supervision responsibilities, overseeing and coordinating technical staff and student assistants.
- Maintenance and Service Coordination: Plan and coordinate preventive maintenance, servicing, repairs, vendor support, and service contracts.
- User Access and Training Framework: Develop and maintain workflows for user registration, onboarding, authorization, training records, and operational oversight.
- Resource and Cost Oversight: Maintain inventory and operational documentation, manage internal billing processes, and provide input for annual fee setting and budget planning.
- Governance and Stakeholder Coordination: Participate in the ECAF Directorate, contributing to operational planning, policy implementation, and continuous improvement of facility processes.
Qualifications
- Education: Advanced degree (PhD) in analytical chemistry, environmental sciences, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Technical Expertise: Proven experience with modern analytical instrumentation and laboratory workflows (e.g., LC-MS, GC, ICP, IC, elemental analysis, optical spectroscopy, or comparable platforms).
- Operational Leadership: Ability to manage complex laboratory infrastructure, coordinate vendors and service providers, and maintain comprehensive documentation systems.
- People and Communication Skills: Strong service orientation and communication skills with the capability to engage diverse user groups and balance competing priorities.
- Language: Proficiency in English is required; German language skills are an advantage.
Why Join Us?
- A key role in shaping and operating a new departmental research platform with the potential to influence the long-term development of ECAF’s analytical capabilities and user support model.
- A collaborative environment with a broad scientific user community.
- Employment conditions, salary, and benefits in accordance with ETH Zurich regulations.
We look forward to receiving your online application using the form below.
Only applications matching the job profile will be considered. Screening of applications will begin on May 15, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
For further information about the Institute, please visit our website. If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Prof. Dr. Kristopher McNeill via email at kris.mcneill@env.ethz.ch; please note that applications should not be sent via email.
We would like to emphasize that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence. For recruitment services, the General Terms and Conditions of ETH Zurich apply.