Assistant Sustainability in Education & Research 60%

About the job

Assistant Sustainability in Education & Research 60%

🌿 Drive the integration of sustainability in teaching and research at ZHAW: Operationally lead the Transformative Sustainability Fund (TSF) 🎓, support innovative interdisciplinary teaching projects and strengthen the visibility of sustainability contributions across the university ✨

Department: Rectorate

Start date: Immediately or by arrangement, limited to one year with the option of extension

• Together with the head of sustainability programmes, you take on the operational implementation of the Transformative Sustainability Fund (TSF): You coordinate calls and funding cycles, support applicants in project development, administratively manage the evaluation committee and ensure coordination with the Education Division as well as monitoring of funded projects that promote the integration of sustainability content into teaching at ZHAW.
• You design and coordinate university-wide educational initiatives to integrate future skills and develop incentive frameworks in close collaboration with departments, Finance & Services and divisions.
• You contribute to the further development of a framework for research and knowledge transfer in the field of sustainability – through increased visibility, cross-departmental collaboration and the establishment of Living Labs.
• Together with the head of sustainability programmes, you support the establishment of the SDG tagging project: the systematic recording and visualisation of ZHAW’s sustainability contributions in institutional databases for publications, research projects and teaching modules.
• You support the conceptual integration of social, ecological and economic sustainability perspectives in teaching formats and compile findings for the sustainability report.
• You participate in the Sustainable Impact Program board and help shape dialogue formats such as focus groups, workshops and cooperation events with lecturers, programme directors and researchers.
• The work can largely be organised flexibly. The main workplace is on site, with the possibility to work one day from home.
• The position is limited to one year, with the possibility of extension by one year at a time.
• An ongoing or completed Master’s degree in Sustainable Development, Environmental, Educational or Social Sciences or a related field.
• Strong skills in project management, especially in the development and coordination of programmes in the higher education context; experience in operating funding programmes or comparable institutional instruments is an advantage.
• Knowledge of integrating sustainability in research and education at (applied) universities; familiarity with SDG frameworks is an advantage. Lateral leadership: Persuasiveness and coordination skills without direct authority in a decentralised university environment.
• Creativity and pragmatism in solution development; independent, precise and efficient working style with the ability to act responsibly in a changing environment.
• Network-oriented, strong communication and diplomatic manner; established network in the sustainability and higher education landscape in Switzerland and Europe or willingness to build one.
• Fluent language skills in German and English; knowledge of other national languages is an advantage.

Please submit your application documents by 29.05.2026.

The ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, with over 14,000 students and more than 11,000 continuing education participants as well as around 3,700 employees, is one of the largest multi-disciplinary universities of applied sciences in Switzerland.

ZHAW sustainable is the strategic programme of ZHAW for implementing the sustainability strategy. It is led by a member of the university management and is part of the Rectorate. ZHAW sustainable works cross-divisional with departments, the Rectorate, Finance & Services and students to promote an effective sustainability culture. You can expect a collegial, dynamic team and diverse insights into programme development, teaching innovation and university development in the field of sustainability.

The Transformative Sustainability Fund (TSF) is the new funding instrument of ZHAW sustainable for the conceptual development of innovative, interdisciplinary teaching formats with a sustainability focus. It is aimed at lecturers who want to develop cross-departmental teaching concepts and complements the existing ZHAW instruments specifically in the early innovation phase – as start-up funding where new ideas have not yet found an institutional sponsor.

ZHAW is committed to gender-mixed and diverse teams to promote equality, diversity and innovation.

We offer university-appropriate working and employment conditions and actively promote the personnel development of our employees and managers. A detailed description of the benefits can be found on the "Working at ZHAW" website. Here are the key points:

Francesco Bortoluzzi

Head of ZHAW Sustainability Programmes

Note: Contact by e-mail is preferred.

Irina Keiser

Recruiting Manager