SNSF Professorships: Call to identify and offer support to selected candidates

The Department of Geography (GIUZ) at the Faculty of Science of the University of Zurich is pleased to support candidates for the anticipated 2023 SNSF Professorial Fellowships call. SNSF Professorial Fellowships bring significant research funding, allowing grantees to lead an independent research project and team. They replace ERC Starting Grants and the SNSF Eccellenza Professorial and Prima Fellowships.

GIUZ recognises the value of such grants to early-career researchers, and the important role that the Department can play in providing support to successful candidates during both the grant writing process and as a hosting institution. We therefore aim to identify and offer support to selected candidates for SNSF Starting Grants early in the grant writing process.

Applicants have an excellent track record. The SNF and the University of Zurich have signed the DORA declaration, and value contributions to scientific research, teaching, supervision, science communication and services. Applicants wish to develop a research group at GIUZ, have research interests that build upon and complement existing research at GIUZ, and are prepared to involve themselves in Departmental activities (for example through contributions to teaching and service).

GIUZ is particularly interested in candidates whose proposed research matches GIUZ’s identified research priorities in Health Geography and Environmental Justice. Furthermore, GIUZ strongly encourages applicants to apply who would add to the diversity of the professorial staff at the Department.

Interested applicants should:
1.    Check their eligibility for an SNSF Professorial Fellowship.
2.    If eligible, applicants should submit the following as a single PDF:

• A two-page motivation letter summarising the proposed research, the reasons for choosing GIUZ as a hosting institution, and outlining how the proposed research fits and complements GIUZ’s existing research clusters.
• A CV prepared using the SNSF portal.

Applications should be submitted by Wednesday, 20th September, 2023 to admin@geo.uzh.ch. For more information, applicants should contact the Head of Department. The Department’s Executive Board will invite selected applicants to give a short research talk and discuss their plans in a symposium in the week beginning Monday 23rd of October. Final decisions about applications which will be supported in the process of applications to the SNSF will be communicated at the latest one week after the symposiums.