Description

The University of Zurich, Switzerland’s largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!

The central goal of this one-year limited full-time position is to implement a novel technology that allows the washing and reusing of pipette tips that today are discarded after a single use. Single-use plastic disposables cause dozens to hundreds of kilograms of waste per wet-lab scientist and year, resulting in tremendous costs and posing a heavy burden on our environment.

We aim to evaluate a device permitting automated washing of pipette tips for cycles of reuse. This involves legal clearance, assessment of the useability for molecular biology experimentation, development of workflow recommendations, and sustainability assessments. Close collaboration is required with scientists and TAs of IPMB, officials from the AWEL of the canton of Zurich, the company supplying the device, analytics service providers, experts on energy assessments of UZH, and other Swiss Universities aiming for the same. The results of this study shall be documented for UZH-internal and external use as publication in a scientific or lab management journal.

Further information can be found under “UZH as a real-world laboratory”. We believe that we cannot afford throwing away tons of potentially reusable laboratory plastics in 20 years from now, so projects like tip washing rethink lab work and thus represent a showcase of how a greener laboratory may function in the future.

  • PhD in life science, documented experience in wet-lab molecular biology, especially challenging PCR & troubleshooting
  • Experience in quality control, from testing to validation, equipment management and validation
  • Good communication and negotiation skills with various peer groups, preferably also in German
  • Independent, highly structured and proactive work style with solid skills in planning tasks, meeting deadlines and work documentation
  • Interest in “green” technology platforms aimed at improving the sustainability of lab work
  • Experience environmental safety issues and legal clearance is an asset

Work-Life Balance

  • Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing)
  • Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH

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Learning and Development

  • Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich
  • Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

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Food

  • Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias
  • Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

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Healthcare

  • Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ
  • Free seasonal flu vaccinations
  • Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

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Discounts

  • Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space
  • Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions
  • Special conditions on hotel reservations

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Conditions of Employment

  • Policies of the UZH
  • Most UZH staff are employed according to public law

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International Services

  • Support for people from outside Switzerland

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Campuses

  • Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren
  • Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg

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