NOMIS Foundation ETH Fellowship

9 Sep 2023
Job Information

Organisation/Company

ETH Zürich

Research Field

Philosophy » Aesthetics
Philosophy » Epistemology
Philosophy » Ethics
Philosophy » Logic
Philosophy » Metaphysics
Philosophy » Other
Philosophy » Philosophy of science

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

Switzerland

Application Deadline

7 Dec 2023 - 22:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

41

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

NOMIS Foundation ETH Fellowship

The NOMIS Foundation–ETH Fellowship Programme supports postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich within the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life. The programme is intended to foster the development of young interdisciplinary researchers in the field of the origin and prevalence of life who have demonstrated scientific excellence in the early stages of their careers, and to enable the conditions necessary to conduct interdisciplinary, fundamental and high-risk research with some level of independence and autonomy.

Project background

The Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life at ETH Zurich is an innovative collaboration between several ETHZ departments to comprehensively address the big questions of life’s origins and ubiquity. The Centre includes a dedicated gathering place to meet up and hold scientific discussions in a casual environment, hot desks and temporary office space for students and faculty located at nearby campuses as well as for visiting scientists.  

The purpose of the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL)is to establish and promote new forms of scientific collaborations that transcend existing disciplinary boundaries to exploit opportunity and synergies, linking planetary context with chemical forms and functions of life. For that purpose, the Centre is deploying a programme including state-of-the-art interdisciplinary research projects, the development of exceptional talents, recruitment of world-class professors, an extensive scientific network, and an interdisciplinary curriculum about the origin and prevalence of life.

The NOMIS Foundation supports and enables insight-driven science across all disciplines, focusing on researchers who put forth bold new ideas, exhibit a pioneering spirit and seek to inspire the world around them. The foundation’s vision is to “create a spark” in the world of science by enabling pioneering research in the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities that benefit humankind and our planet.

The foundation serves as a catalyst for scientific and human progress by supporting interdisciplinary research, establishing collaborative research networks and developing strategic partnerships. In addition to providing financial support, NOMIS endeavours to develop and strengthen the conditions conducive to the pursuit of high-risk basic research.

Job description

Once appointed, NOMIS–ETH Fellows become an integral part of and have direct access to an international network of leading interdisciplinary researchers and institutions through the NOMIS collaborative research network.

The duration of a NOMIS–ETH Fellowship is three years plus one extension year and cannot be prolonged. The fourth year is granted only following a review 18 months after the start of the fellowship and must be funded by the host professor(s). The fellowship is competitive with a limited number of fellowships available each year. For a start in 2024, up to three new NOMIS–ETH Fellows will be selected.

Your profile

Applications within three years of obtaining a doctorate will be considered. In duly justified cases, applications falling outside this criterium may also be considered. Preferably, you already will have acquired your first postdoctoral experience and/or interdisciplinary training. You must have an existing affiliation to an academic/research institution.

Following the initial evaluation round, you must be available for a remote interview.

A professor may only submit one candidate in each evaluation round. The host professor(s) (mentors) must have a guaranteed ETH position for the entire duration of the proposed fellowship. The host professor may only have one NOMIS–ETH Fellow at a given time. The primary hosts and supervisors shall be members of the Centre; see the COPL website for affiliated professors. The ETH professor must commit to providing the allowance and any additional support required beyond the fellowship allowance to carry out the research project as well as resources for the fourth year, provided the candidate successfully passes the review process.

Applications not complying with the eligibility criteria will be rejected on formal grounds.

We offer

ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. You can look forward to an exciting working environment, cultural diversity and attractive offers and benefits.

Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich

We value diversity
In line with our values , ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish.
Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application by 10 November 2023 at 17:00 Swiss local time with the following documents:

• a description of the research project and the specific role and input, as well as how the NOMIS–​ETH Fellow’s project relates to other research directions in the host group and the Centre; a template document is provided.
• a complete CV, including a publication list and picture; it is important that all dates at least include the month and year.
• a brief outline of your career goals (1 page); this is included in the template for the description of the research project.
• a description of the interdisciplinary nature, the high-risk/outside-the-box character of the proposed research and the synergy of the proposal with the Centre’s mission; this is included in the template for the description of the research project.
• an invitation letter from one of the host professors describing why you are an excellent candidate and a statement of financial support for the fellowship in year 4.
• a completed ​form concerning ethical issues and research requiring authorization or notification; a template document is provided.
• the signed NOMIS code of conduct; a template document is provided.
• two external letters of reference for the candidate, to be e-mailed by the author of the letter directly to the Managing Office of the Center for Origin and Prevalence of Life before the application deadline (copl.management@sympa.ethz.ch )

Each NOMIS–ETH Fellowship application comprises an individual and signed cover sheet (with date) as well as several attachments that have to be uploaded as a single electronic document via the online ETH job platform “ETH Zurich Job Board” . All documents must be created using standard text-editing software and, with the exception of the invitation and reference letters, uploaded as a single PDF file by the applicant. Please use the templates provided on the website where necessary.

For confidentiality reasons, the required reference letters should be sent directly by the referee to the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life Office via email to copl.management@sympa.ethz.ch before the submission deadline (no password-protected files).

The necessary document templates can be downloaded from the COPL website . Please do not change the internal structure of the templates, and please adhere to the file-naming conventions explained below.

Important: All documents must be converted to a single PDF files (no password protection) before uploading, and your name should be included in the file names as indicated in the document list below. Please note that the size of a single PDF file may not exceed 20 MB.

Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Table 1: Document list.

Document Name	Type of information	Access	Contents/Remarks
Cover_Letter_name_of_applicant	general	general	Signed cover letter
A02_Project_Description_name_of_applicant	scientific	general	Detailed project description including summary, research plan, midterm research vision, list of reference letters to be expected, and literature list. See template for details.
A03_CV_name_of_applicant	general	general	Complete CV of the candidate including list of publications and a picture. It is important that all dates at least include month and year.
A04_Invitation_Letter_name_of_applicant	general	general	Letter by host professor, stating why the candidate is considered excellent and why they are invited to the host groups. In addition, the ETH professor must commit to providing the allowance and any additional support required beyond the fellowship allowance to carry out the research project as well as resources for the fourth year, provided the candidate successfully passes the review process.
Z01_Ethical_Issues_name_of_applicant	general	internal	Information on ethical issues and research requiring authorization and notification.
Z02_Code_of_Conduct_name_of_applicant	general	internal	Signed Code of conduct of the NOMIS Foundation.

To monitor and improve the programme, each NOMIS–ETH Fellow is requested to submit a final report within 1 month after completion of their fellowship to Managing Office of the ETH Zurich Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life. The relevant request and form will be sent to you in due course.

If you experience problems with the electronic submission system, please contact the Managing Office of the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life by email at copl.management@sympa.ethz.ch . No support can be provided for problems with the electronic submission outside office hours.

Deadlines

There is one call for NOMIS-–ETH Fellowships per year. The submission deadline for the call in 2023 is 10 November 2023 at 17:00 Swiss local time. Applications must be submitted electronically via the online ETH job platform “ETH Zurich Job Board ”. Reference letters must be sent directly to the Managing Office of the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life by email to copl.management@sympa.ethz.ch .

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Further information about the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life can be found on the COPL website . Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Mathias Beck at beckmat@ethz.ch (no applications).

About ETH Zürich
ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in
science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education,
cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge
into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our
university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an
environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe,
yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to
develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.
Requirements

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Research Field

Philosophy

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Additional Information

Website for additional job details

https://academicpositions.com

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

ETH Zürich

Country

Switzerland

City

Zurich

Postal Code

8006

Street

Rämistrasse 101

Where to apply

Website

https://academicpositions.com/ad/eth-zurich/2023/nomis-foundation-eth-fellowshi…

Contact

City

Zurich

Website

https://ethz.ch/en.html

Postal Code

8006

STATUS: EXPIRED