Finance & HR positions in Switzerland | SciFind

Finance & HR positions in Switzerland

2 open positions, aggregated daily from university career portals across Europe.

Switzerland hosts some of Europe's most competitive academic institutions, led by the two federal institutes of technology — ETH Zurich and EPFL — alongside cantonal universities in Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva and Lausanne. Most positions are funded through the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) or directly by the institution. Academic salaries are among the highest globally, with PhD students typically earning CHF 47,000–50,000 and postdocs CHF 80,000–100,000 per year.

•Primary funding body: SNSF (Swiss National Science Foundation)
•Working language: English in STEM, varies by canton otherwise
•Non-EU nationals need a work permit; universities sponsor them routinely
•Typical PhD duration: 3–5 years

University of Zurich · Anatomisches Institut

Finance & HR

Administrative Assistant with Focus on Finance

Independent financial administration of multiple research groups and third-party funded projects Budget management and monitoring, forecasting and controlling as well as support with financial reporting Processing of accounts payable and accounts receivable as well as payment orders, transfers, expense and credit card statements Support for institute management in general administrative tasks, in particular for events, internal and external inquiries, access authorizations as well as maintenance of the institute website and online calendar

🇨🇭 Zurich80%

No deadlineSource: University of Zurich

ETH Zurich · ETH Zurich I Space

Finance & HR

ETH Space: Finance & Controlling and Office Support

Please apply until 31 October 2026. ETH Space mission is to boost space activities to establish ETH Zurich as the leading university in space research and Earth observation, education and entrepreneurship within Europe and beyond. ETH Space encompasses overall five units: Education, Research, Entrepreneurship, the ETH Swiss GeoLab, and the space mission, LIFE. ETH Space is led by Prof. Thomas Zurbuchen as its director, and Prof. Richard Kornfeld, as managing director. The team overall consists of about 35 employees. The office is located in Zurich downtown, in one of the central ETH…

🇨🇭 Zurich80-100%fixed-term

No deadlineSource: ETH Zurich

Frequently asked questions

What is the typical PhD salary in Switzerland?+

PhD students in Switzerland are employed researchers, typically earning CHF 47,000–50,000 per year at ETH/EPFL and cantonal universities. Salaries vary slightly by canton and institution but are among the highest in the world for doctoral researchers.

Do I need to speak German to work in academia in Switzerland?+

English is the working language in most STEM departments at Swiss universities. German, French or Italian may be expected for teaching or administrative roles depending on the linguistic region. ETH Zurich and EPFL operate largely in English.

How do work permits work for academic researchers in Switzerland?+

Universities routinely sponsor work permits for international researchers. EU/EFTA citizens benefit from free movement. Non-EU nationals typically receive an L (short-term) or B (residence) permit, with processing handled by the employing institution.