ETH AI Center Doctoral Fellowship 2027

The ETH AI Center promotes trustworthy, accessible, and inclusive AI systems. For this goal, we bring together interdisciplinary research teams of AI foundations, applications, and implications across all departments and look at AI from many different angles like mathematical principles, medicine, architecture, robotics, and social sciences / future of work. We enable research of high quality, industry innovation, and AI entrepreneurship. 

The ETH AI Center faculty comprises more than 140 professorships representing all sixteen departments of ETH Zurich and external research groups from University of Zurich and University of St.Gallen. The ETH AI Center Fellowship program is Europe’s premier PhD program focused on advancing interdisciplinary AI research. This can be inside AI foundations or between AI foundations and application areas. As a truly interdisciplinary program, fellows work with two excellent PIs who are from different fields and carry equal weights in the supervision.

Within the doctoral fellowship program you will conduct research that impacts the future of AI. You will be working on your own project (that you will propose) and continuously have the opportunity to exchange with other teams and professorships, participate at faculty retreats, symposia, summits etc. Fellows have their primary office at the ETH AI Center and enjoy excellent employment conditions. The center offers plenty of opportunities to strengthen your career path through an optional entrepreneurial or industry track that provides you with valuable hands-on experience to turn your research into practical impact.

What we offer

We offer around 8 - 12 doctoral positions and the occupation normally runs for three years. For Fellows with good progress, it can be extended for a maximum of one year to complete the doctoral thesis (decision to be taken by the ETH AI Center Doctoral Selection Committee, without additional interviews). Starting date is flexible but typically in September 2027.

• Transparent salary: CHF 73'100 in the first year, CHF 78'300 in the second year, and CHF 83'500 in the third year. The advancements are automatic. 

• Co-mentorship by two excellent PIs of different fields

• Training and continuing education activities and language courses at an affordable price

• Services and offerings to support work and family life 

• you are expected to have completed or will complete a Master’s degree in computer science, machine learning, statistics, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or other relevant fields, at least 3 months before the beginning of the fellowship program (latest by June 2027).

• you have an excellent track record and must meet the general admission requirements for a doctorate at ETH Zurich (available at https://www.ethz.ch/en/doctorate.html).

• your level of English allows you to discuss your topics with your colleagues and report your findings in writing.

• you look forward to working with an interdisciplinary team that longs to find solutions together.

Before applying, please read carefully our guidelines: ETH AI Center Doctoral Fellowship Guidelines and visit our FAQs. The deadline for applications is October 27, 2026 (16:00 CET). Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.