We are recruiting a postdoctoral researcher / project lead for a cross-border research project (funded by SNSF’s & DFG’s WEAVE scheme) on Virtual Reality, jointly hosted at ETH Zurich (Chair of Technology Marketing; Prof. Dr. Florian von Wangenheim, Dr. Thomas Scheurer) and the TUM Campus Munich (Professorship of Marketing & Technology; Prof. Dr. David Finken). This is a senior researcher / project lead role for someone ready to combine independent scholarship with scientific leadership and team collaboration in an ambitious, international environment.

The SNF & DFG funded project investigates how people perceive time and space in immersive virtual environments, approaches related questions in an interdisciplinary manner (i.e., at the intersection of psychology, technology, and human–computer interaction). We welcome candidates with a strong interest in fundamental research and, ideally, prior experience in VR research. The project duration is set for three years. Earliest starting date October 2026.

• Work directly with the Principal Investigators at ETH Zurich and TUM to develop the research agenda, refine study designs, and drive the project toward top-tier publications
• Collaborate closely with two Ph.D. researchers, one at ETH Zurich (VR development focus) and one at TUM (behavioral and psychology focus), coordinating shared studies and integrating their work into joint papers
• Provide day-to-day scientific mentorship, helping the doctoral researchers with experimental design, analysis, and manuscript development

We are looking for candidates meeting several of the following

• A completed (or soon-to-be-completed) Ph.D. in human–computer interaction, psychology, (quantitative) marketing, information systems, or a closely related field
• A strong trajectory toward publishing in leading international journals
• Demonstrated interest and, ideally, experience in VR research, particularly on the perception of time and space in virtual environments
• Strong quantitative skills (R, Python, or Stata; experience with machine learning or advanced experimental methods is a plus)
• Familiarity with VR-related toolkits (e.g., Unity, Unreal, or eye tracking) is an advantage, especially for coordinating the technical side of the project but deep engineering expertise is not required
• Collaboration and mentoring ability you enjoy working across disciplines and sites and supporting more junior researchers, student assistant, or master students
• Professional proficiency in English and strong communication skills 
• German is a plus but not required

Your reponsibilities include

• Lead and co-author rigorous research with the ambition to publish in leading international journals
• Design, coordinate, and analyze VR-based experiments across the ETH and TUM sites
• Mentor and coordinate the two doctoral researchers and help align their individual projects with the joint research agenda
• Collaborate with international co-authors and industry partners, and represent the project at conferences
• Potentially contribute to continuous follow grant

• An collaborative working environment at the Chair of Technology Marketing
• Contract & compensation: a fixed-term postdoctoral position (100%) based at ETH Zurich, remunerated according to ETH Zurich / SNF postdoctoral salary scales
• Research profile: potential to sharpen your academic profile and position you as a promising scholar in the academic community
• Development: access to external opportunities for continuous quantitative training (e.g., GSERM St. Gallen/Lugano, ICPSR at the University of Michigan) and support for research stays in Germany or abroad (e.g., Amsterdam, Münster)
• Environment: a leadership role within interdisciplinary teams and collaboration with top international partners (e.g., ESADE, ETH Zurich, Oxford, Yonsei), with the autonomy to shape a high-visibility research program

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents in a single PDF file:

• A cover letter stating your motivation, research vision, and prior experience in VR (best case: in the perception of time and space)
• CV including a publication list/working papers
• And two academic references

Further information about our Department can be found on our Website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Thomas Scheurer, [email protected] (no applications).

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.