PhD Candidate 100% in the SNSF Project "LGBTQ+ specific vs. sensitive health care in young adults – Needs and pathways" (LGBTQ+ YOUTHPATH)

About the job

PhD Candidate 100% in the SNSF Project “LGBTQ+ specific vs. sensitive health care in young adults – Needs and pathways" (LGBTQ+ YOUTHPATH)

Are you a person who is passionate about researching in a team using qualitative and participatory methods? Would you like to make Swiss healthcare more LGBTQ+ inclusive with a PhD and lay the foundation for your scientific career? Then you are exactly right with us!

Department: Health

Start of work: From 1.5.2026 limited to three years

The project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation «LGBTQ+ specific vs. sensitive health care in young adults – Needs and pathways (LGBTQ+ YOUTHPATH)» takes place within the National Research Program Gender Medicine and Health (NRP 83). The project examines the pathways of 18-25-year-old LGBTQ+ persons in and through the German-speaking Swiss (outpatient) healthcare system as well as LGBTQ+-sensitive (in general care) and LGBTQ+-specific accesses (e.g., in LGBTQ+ Checkpoints for health). This is done using electronic diaries, expert interviews, organizational and service analysis, quantitative secondary analysis of existing data, and involving stakeholders as peer researchers (LGBTQ+ persons, healthcare professionals, organizational managers).

Within three years, you will write a cumulative dissertation on the project question in our cooperative doctoral program with the University of Zurich (also open to non-health professions and public health personnel!) or, in exceptional cases, at another Swiss university. In addition to the other PhD located in the project, you will investigate,

• which pathways 18-25-year-old LGBTQ+ persons take into outpatient healthcare in the German-speaking part of Switzerland,
• to what extent preferences exist for LGBTQ+-specific (treatment) services (e.g., Checkpoint) and/or general care, and
• what expectations LGBTQ+ persons have of these services and what experiences they have made in them.

You will examine all LGBTQ+ subgroups and the entire spectrum of health (mental and physical health). The project started on 1.4.2025 and data collection has successfully begun.

• You will accompany the predominantly qualitative data collection, recruit and instruct study participants in the electronic diary collection, and subsequently analyze the data qualitatively together with the team using Kuckartz/Rädiker, supported by MAXQDA and AI Assist.
• You will conduct expert interviews with healthcare professionals, create organizational and service analyses, and analyze these qualitatively.
• You will disseminate and publish the scientifically generated results in English as first and co-author in peer-reviewed journals, at (inter)national conferences, and participate in networking within the framework of NRP 83.
• You will work closely with the other PhD candidate and the entire project team and support the achievement of the overall project goals.
• You have a master's degree from a university or university of applied sciences (MSc, MA) in a social or health science field (including university of applied sciences health and social professions).
• You thrive on puzzling over scientific questions, working with data, in a team, and writing scientific texts, and want to set a first milestone for your scientific career with the PhD.
• You have very good skills in qualitative social research and are interested in participatory and mixed-methods research approaches.
• You are knowledgeable about issues of sexual and gender diversity and healthcare or health services research and want to contribute to a more LGBTQ+-inclusive Swiss healthcare system.
• You have very good German (at least C1), very good English, and exceptional writing skills (writing scientific texts).
• You want to be part of a motivated and supportive team, are an open, interested, and inclusive personality, and do not give up even with challenging (scientific) problems but persistently stick to the matter.

The salary is based on the regulations of the Swiss National Science Foundation: 1st year: 52,000 CHF. Home office options are available; however, a presence on site in Winterthur at least 2-3 days per week is mandatory due to the project context and team collaboration.

The interviews are expected to take place on 31.3.2026, 14-17h, 1.4.2026, 8-17h (1st round) and 9.4.2026, 8-12h, 10.4.2026, 8-17h (2nd round). We welcome diverse and qualified applications, especially from persons belonging to marginalized groups / underrepresented in academic institutions / with biographical experiential knowledge from a marginalized perspective.

Please submit your complete application documents by March 22, 2026.

The ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, with over 14,000 students and over 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 is committed to gender-mixed and diverse teams to promote equality, diversity, and innovation.

The ZHAW Department of Health is one of the largest and most renowned centers in the German-speaking region for education and training in health professions. Over 2,000 students and 300 employees benefit from unique education and training opportunities, teaching, and research tasks in the heart of Winterthur. At the Institute for Public Health, we generate evidence for population health, train the public health and health personnel of the future, and develop innovative and sustainable solutions for equitable healthcare, health, and well-being of the population.

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 main points:

Prof. Dr. Andreas Pfister

Co-Head Institute for Public Health

Irina Keiser

Recruiting Manager