Graduate Assistant in the History of Political Ideas

Introduction

A leading international teaching and research institution, UNIL has nearly 5,000 staff members and 17,000 students, distributed between the Dorigny campus and the CHUV and Epalinges sites. As an employer, it promotes excellence, recognition of individuals, and responsibility.

unil.ch/travailler

Presentation

At the Institute of Political Studies (IEP), the Walras-Pareto Center (CWP) of the University of Lausanne is offering a position for:

Graduate Assistant in the History of Political Ideas

Job Information

Start date: 01.08.2026

Contract duration: 1 year, renewable 2 x 2 years, maximum 5 years

Work rate: 100%

Workplace: Lausanne-Dorigny, Géopolis building

Salary: Salary scale

Your Activities

The position is under the responsibility of Professor Eric Fabri. The holder is expected to develop work on the history of political ideas in a broad sense. The choice of research theme will depend on the interests and experience of the candidate but may, for example (non-exhaustive), concern theories of justice, economic epistemology and its political issues, Marxist theories, political ontology, contemporary political theory issues (feminism, political ecology, decolonial studies, philosophy of life, etc.) in their relation to economic thought.

• 50% of the work rate will be dedicated to completing a doctoral thesis.
• 50% of the work rate will be devoted to supporting teaching and research tasks (teaching activities under the responsibility of a professor, research work not related to personal research, and activities related to the life of the affiliated unit).
• Terms of reference

Your Profile

We wish to recruit, to complete our team, a person with the following profile: 

• Master's degree in philosophy, political science, history, or an equivalent qualification

• Interest in pursuing research activities and developing a thesis in the field of the history of political ideas or political theory
• Fluency in French is mandatory and good knowledge of English
• Interest in teaching the history of political ideas
• Desire to contribute to academic and societal debate by working on current issues and making them accessible to a wide audience
• Desire and ability to work within a small research team

Your Benefits

A pleasant working environment in a multicultural and diverse academic setting.
Opportunities for continuing education, a multitude of activities, and other benefits to discover.

More information at unil.ch/travailler

For Further Information

The position will be under the responsibility of Prof. Eric Fabri

For any information, please contact the director of the IEP Janick Schaufelbuehl :

janickmarina.schaufelbuehl@unil.ch

Your Application File

Application deadline: 02.05.2026

Please send us the following documents in a PDF file via the recruitment platform : 

• Cover letter,
• Academic CV with copies of university diplomas and transcripts,
• An academic text (master's thesis chapter, scientific article, etc.),
• A draft thesis project (1 to 2 pages).

Only applications submitted through this site will be considered.

Thank you for your understanding.

Remarks

UNIL is committed to:
•    Equality, diversity, and inclusion within its community;
•    Ensuring an open, respectful, and supportive environment for personal development;
•    Offering working conditions conducive to balancing different spheres of life;
•    Supporting the next generation of scientists.

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