Job Shadowing

As part of the Action Plan 2025-27, this initiative provides hands-on insights into non-academic career fields and the Third Space and helps postdocs and senior teaching and research assistants to advance their career beyond academic research.

The switch from academic research to other sectors can be tough. With the UZH Job Shadowing program we aim to support postdoctoral researchers in this transition. We connect them with professionals outside academia or in the academic Third Space, who will host them at their workplace for 1 – 3 days. The program offers postdocs a first-hand look at careers beyond academic research, while expanding networks of postdocs as well as hosts and building stronger bridges between academia and non-academic sectors. Further, the program allows postdocs to explore often overlooked career paths in the Third Space and get to know universities from a different perspective.

Postdocs can apply to the announced Job Shadowing opportunities with hosts working in various fields outside of academic research. The GRC selects the postdocs and creates meaningful matches with hosts. Each host will only be matched with one postdoc to ensure enough one-on-one time to discuss career planning and gain clarity about career choices. Of note, postdocs who are not interested in any of the advertised hosts but would like to participate in the program can suggest a new host for themselves in their application.

Are you a postdoc or senior teaching and research assistants at UZH and do you already know that you would like to eventually leave academia? Are you starting to actively plan your next steps towards a career beyond academic research? With this program the GRC is supporting you in advancing your career outside of academic research. The Job Shadowing program helps you to gain first-hand insights into your sector/job of interest, while expanding your network.

The application to the program is now open for postdocs until 30 June 2026. We will select postdocs in July, and from August onwards first meetings between hosts and postdocs will take place. The actual Job Shadowing can be scheduled flexibly by the host and postdoc but has to take place between August and October 2026.
We are planning to start another round of the Job Shadowing program already at the end of 2026.

Application and deadline: 

Send the application form postdocs (PDF, 171 KB) and your CV to the program coordinators until 30 June 2026. 

All UZH postdocs as well as senior teaching and research assistants can apply. Please note that this program is not designed to find you a job. Postdocs that have any expectations of the host to hire them will be excluded from the program.

Additional requirements:

• Interest and willingness to actively engage with one’s career path
• Commitment to participating in all program components
• Active engagement in the host relationship
• Openness to feedback, suggestions, and constructive criticism
• Interest in networking
• Regular and reliable communication with the program coordinators
• Employment at the University of Zurich

Selection criteria:

We can admit as many postdocs as we have hosts. New hosts can be suggested in the application form. The selection of postdocs will be based on the applicants’ goals, motivation and engagement with career planning beyond academic research. Further we will compare the applicants acquired skill set to the skills needed for the job of interest. Applicants that already have required skills will be preferred to create the most meaningful Job Shadowing matches.

You are interested in fostering connections with academic researchers and motivated to help postdocs to reflect on their skills, career goals and options? We are currently searching for hosts! Join our program and provide first-hand insights into non-academic careers or careers in the academic third space (registration form hosts).

You will be matched with a postdoc by the GRC and spend 1 – 3 days with the postdoc at your workplace. We will find a good postdoc match for you and offer guidance at any step of the program. Check the digital flyer (PDF, 299 KB) for more information or directly contact us.

Below you can find the list of hosts participating in the Job Shadowing program in the summer of 2026. Please note, that the list might expand until the 18^_th of June 2026. The application deadline for postdocs is the 30_^th of June.

Job Shadowing opportunities

Career development and continuing education

• Career Services UZH – Head of Career Services
• SIB/Career Services UZH - Career Engagement Manager, Project Lead LNoC
• Educational Development UZH – Head of Educational Development

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

• Equality, Diversity, Inclusion UZH – Project leader

Science and policy making

• swissuniversities - Scientific and policy officer

Research Support and Core Facilities

• Center for Microscopy UZH – Research Associate

Healthcare and Diagnostics

• Molecular tumor profiling USZ – Scientific Staff Clinical Operations

Startups

• Baxiva - Preclinical Development Lead

Future studies and consulting

• Kühne Wicki – Futurist (opportunity for German speaking Postdocs only)

Tech, IT and Software

• Google Switzerland GmbH - Software Engineer

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Mentoring opportunities*

• Pharma Industry – Brand Lead
• Insurance and public health - Co-Lead Corporate Health Solutions

*Some private sectors and companies do not allow guests at their workplace or have very strict non-disclosure regulations. For these cases we created a mentoring alternative to the Job Shadowing. Mentors will meet with their matched postdocs (online or in person) and discuss different topics around non-academic careers. The timeline is the same as for the Job Shadowing with the difference that after the matching the postdoc and mentor will have 2-3 one-on-one meetings (60 min each) and no workplace visit will take place.

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You did not find a host that caught you interest?

No problem. You can suggest a host from your own network in the application form. We will then contact the host and let you know if we were able to establish a Job Shadowing opportunity for you.