Finding a post

Announcements of assistantship vacancies are not necessarily circulated on a large scale.

For example, whereas posts at the University of Neuchâtel must be advertised on the faculty and university sites, only an announcement within the faculties concerned is required by the regulations of the University of Lausanne.

The internet and word of mouth are therefore excellent sources of information. It’s also a good idea to discuss possible job openings without delay with professors and members of the intermediary staff.

Assistantship contracts generally run from August to July and appointments are often already decided on in the spring. Research teams are often formed before projects are submitted for funding.

Furthermore, in parallel with the public advertisement, recruitment also takes place informally in order to hire a particular person. This is often the case for assistantships, where someone who has done a Master thesis under the supervision of a professor in the department concerned is recruited.

It is very important, before the end of your studies, to inform professors working in your field and especially your Master thesis supervisor that you are interested in an assistantship.