Section Head "Occupational Safety, Health and Environment" (m/f/d) 100%
ETH Zürich
Zurich
Key information
- Publication date:14 October 2025
- Workload:100%
- Place of work:Zurich
Job summary
Join ETH Zurich as the Head of Safety, Health, and Environment. This role offers a chance to make impactful changes in a dynamic workplace.
Tasks
- Lead a team of 12 in ensuring workplace safety and health.
- Coordinate organizational tasks for environmental protection efforts.
- Engage in risk assessments and proactive planning for safety measures.
Skills
- Master's degree in sciences or engineering with leadership experience.
- Strong project management and risk assessment skills.
- Fluent in German, with good English and basic French knowledge.
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Section Head «Occupational Safety, Health and Environment» (m/f/d)
100%, Zurich, permanent
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The Department of Safety, Health and Environment at VPIN advises, supports and trains all organizational units and members of ETH Zurich on questions of safety, health and environment in the workplace.
Are you an experienced leader with a passion for these topics? Then help shape the future of our section – starting March 1, 2026, by arrangement.
Job Description
- As a leader, you manage the section personnel-wise, financially and professionally. You promote the 12 employees, support their development and ensure a motivating work environment
- Professionally, you ensure the ETH-wide coordination and organization of tasks required to guarantee occupational safety, health protection and operational environmental protection
- In addition to advising, training and informing ETH members, your team regularly conducts assessments in the area of occupational safety and health protection (hazard identification and, if necessary, risk analysis) as well as forward-looking measures planning
- You coordinate operational environmental protection such as proper hazardous waste disposal and precautionary water protection
- In the tension between legal foundations and university culture (autonomy and creativity), you respond to the needs of research and teaching and develop professional solutions in partnership. You also actively contribute your expertise to (construction) projects and ETH committees
- Together with your multidisciplinary team of specialists – including ASA specialists, radiation protection experts, biosafety officers, hazardous goods officers as well as experts for building pollutants – you successfully fulfill your performance mandate
- As part of the SGU leadership team, you promote cross-sectional and cross-departmental activities and collaboration
- In addition to section management, you take on the deputy management of the SGU department as well as the role of environmental officer of ETH Zurich
Profile
You have
- a university degree (at least Master) in natural sciences or engineering
- several years of professional experience in one of the areas (operational environmental protection or occupational safety and health protection) and the ability to competently take on tasks in the other area
- several years of experience leading interdisciplinary expert teams (ideally in an academic environment)
- methodological competence in project and risk management
- up-to-date knowledge of digital tools
- very good German skills (confident and communicative, spoken and written), good English skills as well as passive French skills
- Developing user-oriented solutions, enthusiasm and diplomacy are among your strengths
- Taking responsibility in leading an emergency/crisis team is a matter of course for you
Workplace
Workplace
We offer
- Your job with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development but also actively contributes to positive changes in society
- A varied and responsible role in an international and dynamic environment
- Flexible, jointly designed working models
- We live: Lifelong Learning
- Benefits such as public transport subscriptions and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ , childcare etc., attractive pension benefits
Diversity and sustainability are important to us
In line with our values , ETH Zurich supports an inclusive culture. We promote equal opportunities, value diversity and maintain a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all employees and students are respected. On our website on equal opportunities and diversity , you can learn how we ensure a fair and open environment where everyone can develop and thrive. Sustainability is a central value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.
Curious? So are we.
We look forward to your online application with the following documents:
- Motivation letter
- Curriculum vitae
- Certificates
This is what to expect in the application process:
- The first interview will be with Dr. Silke Kiesewetter (Section Head Occupational Safety, Health and Environment and Deputy Head of SGU) and Annette Hofmann (Head of Safety, Health and Environment)
- The second interview will be with Annette Hofmann and Konrad Merz (HR Partner)
- Additionally, you will meet the Vice President for Infrastructure and Sustainability, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Alois Weidmann, as well as your future team colleagues
Please apply exclusively via the online application portal. Applications by e-mail or postal mail will not be considered.
Further information about the SGU department can be found on our website . For inquiries (not application documents), Dr. Silke Kiesewetter [silke-kiesewetter@ethz.ch] is happy to assist you.
We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.
For personnel placement, the ETH Zurich terms and conditions apply.
About ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is one of the best technical-scientific universities in the world. We are known for our excellent teaching, pioneering basic research and the direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find an environment with us that promotes independent thinking and a climate that inspires top performance. In the heart of Europe and globally networked, we develop solutions together for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.
