Office Manager at the Professorship of Glaciology

The Professorship of Glaciology (VAW Glaciology in the following), jointly operating at ETH’s Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW) and at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), is looking for an Office Manager to join its team.

With close to 30 group members and activities extending from high-mountain areas across the world to the polar regions, VAW Glaciology is one of the world leading research groups when it comes to the study of glaciers. Our work focuses on quantifying the impacts of climate change on glacier evolution and water resources, advancing the understanding of fundamental glaciological processes, maintaining long-term glacier monitoring, and translating scientific insights into actionable knowledge for authorities, stakeholders, and the wider public. To support this diverse and impactful portfolio, VAW Glaciology is seeking an enthusiastic, engaged, and dependable individual to contribute to both the operational and strategic functioning of the group.

The position can be filled at a workload of 80% to 100%, depending on your skills, availability and preferences.

The start date of the position is negotiable, but we envision a start before fall 2025.

In this diverse and responsible role, you will support VAW Glaciology in administrative, organisational, and strategic matters. Working at the interface of science, operations, and public engagement, you will ensure the smooth functioning of the group's day-to-day operations and contribute to its broader mission.

You will handle administrative processes related to finance, human resources, procurement and contracts, while also supporting the group’s head and team members with project management, internal coordination, and logistics arrangements. Acting as the first point of contact for the Professor in charge, you will liaise with ETH’s central services and external partners, and ensure that deadlines, compliance, and reporting obligations are met.

Beyond core administration, your role will extend into communication and outreach. You will help design and organise scientific events, excursions and public talks, and coordinate requests from the media and broader public. If desired and depending on your profile, you may also manage social media channels, engage in communication yourself, support teaching-related activities, and facilitate the acquisition of funding though help in drafting research proposals.

You are:

• a service-oriented, proactive, and trustworthy individual who thrives in a dynamic environment, combinging efficiency with attention to detail and enjoy taking responsibility across a broad spectrum of tasks
• discreet and dependable, capable of handling sensitive information with the utmost confidentiality and care
• approachable and communicative, bringing a supportive spirit to the team and engaging confidently with both internal and external partners

In this role, we are looking for someone who is:

• reliable, loyal, and highly trustworthy
• responsive, well-organised, and able to manage multiple tasks in parallel
• service-minded and committed to supporting a team with diverse needs
• calm and resilient under pressure
• fluent in both English and German (spoken and written); knowledge of French is an asset

Ideally, you bring prior experience in an academic, consulting, or similarly demanding environment, and have a strong interest in supporting scientific research in a meaningful way. Experience in operational, administrative, or strategic matters in an institution that is part of the larger ETH Domain (ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, PSI, Empa, Eawag, WSL) would be advantageous.

• Your job with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the heart of a highly dynamic and interdisciplinary research group, passionate about glacierized, high-altitude and polar environments
• VAW Glaciology is a dynamic and international research group (our working languages are English, German, French, and Italian) fully dedicated to the study of glaciers and the impacts resulting from their changes. Your reliability, discretion, and initiative will be valued in an environment that combines scientific excellence with societal relevance
• We value a friendly and welcoming working atmosphere and strive for excellence in all we do. For more information on our group and activities, please visit o ur website  or follow us on @vaw-glaciology.bsky.social
• You can expect numerous benefits , such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ , childcare and attractive pension benefits

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:

• CV
• Diplomas and relevant certificates
• Filled-out version of the questionnaire found here . For the latter, fill in the questionnaire, make sure to activate the option “Send me a copy of my responses”, and upload this copy as “.pdf”-file together with your application

The full application package must be submitted via ETH’s online portal (button below). Email applications will not be considered.

For further information on the position, please contact Ms. Pia Steinbak (Write an email; lead administrative assistant at VAW), or Prof. Dr. Daniel Farinotti (Write an email; head of VAW Glaciology and vice-director of VAW).

We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.

For recruitment services the GTC of ETH Zurich apply.