The Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies (IAOS), founded in 2013, is the University of Zurich's centre for research and teaching on Asia and the Orient. Bringing together Chinese Studies, Indian Studies, Islamic Studies, Japanese Studies, and Gender Studies within a single institutional structure, the IAOS has established itself as the largest and most comprehensive institution of its kind in Switzerland. With numerous research projects and a wide range of BA, MA, and PhD programmes, the Institute has become a prominent hub in both the national and international academic landscape, while also enhancing the visibility of Asian and Oriental studies in Switzerland more broadly.
Within this framework, the IAOS seeks to appoint a postdoctoral fellow (Oberassistenz) in Modern Chinese Studies, based in the Chair of Modern Chinese Studies (Prof. Dr. Jean Christopher Mittelstaedt).

• Develop an independent research project on modern and contemporary Chinese politics, with an emphasis on domestic politics and openness to its connections with China's foreign policy. Possible areas include political economy, science and technology governance, and institutional change within Party and state structures
• Teach two 2-hour courses per semester at BA or MA level
• Contribute to the organisation of workshops and conferences, as well as to academic self-governance and administrative work
• Actively participate in research colloquiums and in the broader activities of the Department and the Institute

• PhD in the social sciences or related disciplines, with a specialization on modern China
• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative methods (experience with computational text analysis is desirable), with an interest in combining them with qualitative or mixed-methods approaches
• Sufficient proficiency in Mandarin Chinese to conduct independent research with Chinese-language sources
• Teaching experience
• Strong organisational and administrative skills

Information on your application

• Current curriculum vitae (max. 4 pages)
• A cover letter outlining how you meet the qualifications for the position
• Research statement (max. 2 pages)
• Teaching statement (max. 2 pages)
• Writing sample (dissertation chapter, conference paper, published article, or other paper) of no longer than 30 pages that showcases your research ability and method skills
• Names and contact information for two academic referees (referees will only be contacted for shortlisted candidates)