The University of Zurich (UZH) is one of Europe's leading research universities. With around 26,000 students, it is the largest university in Switzerland and offers the broadest range of study programs in the country, encompassing approximately 100 departments. Around 5,000 researchers in 130 departments and seven faculties conduct cutting-edge research and train the next generation of researchers.

About CrimeLab UZH:
CrimeLab UZH is a newly established research center for crime and criminal law at the University of Zurich. CrimeLab UZH views crime as a complex social phenomenon that incurs high individual and societal costs for both victims and society. Many current measures for crime prevention and control are not based on sound scientific evidence. Furthermore, criminology research is often conducted in disciplinary isolation, which limits the scope for innovation and a comprehensive understanding. CrimeLab UZH is establishing an interdisciplinary research structure for basic and applied criminology research. It unites disciplines such as criminology, forensic psychiatry, psychology, sociology, history, ethnology, economics, neuroscience, computer science, law, and biology. The research is divided into four thematic areas: causes of crime, combating crime, victims of crime, and new forms of crime.

You will support the development of the research infrastructure for data science at CrimeLab UZH and integrate local and global IT resources of the University of Zurich. You will oversee interdisciplinary research projects in the field of data-driven crime research and be responsible for the entire data lifecycle – from data preparation and collection to processing, integration, and documentation – ensuring the reproducibility of results. Another important aspect of your work is the development and establishment of best practices for the ethical, legally compliant, and secure processing of sensitive data.
Main responsibilities of the position holder

• Development of an IT infrastructure and platform for crime data
• Coordination with researchers from medicine, law, social and natural sciences and related fields
• Working with high-performance computers for data storage and analysis
• Identification and evaluation of data repositories for interdisciplinary research
• Data curation through evaluation of quality, completeness, and scientific value
• Creation of comprehensive metadata and documentation to support data discovery and use.
• Analysis and processing of complex datasets
• Statistical modeling and/or use of machine learning methods

You will work at the interface of criminology, modeling, high-performance computing, and data-driven research. You will become part of CrimeLab UZH, a dynamic, interdisciplinary community that brings together criminologists, computer scientists, and data experts from the University of Zurich and its partner institutions. We offer an intellectually stimulating environment where you will collaborate closely with leading criminology research groups. This position offers you the opportunity to help shape a modern data infrastructure for criminology, contribute to impactful scientific projects, and support researchers in working with growing datasets. You will benefit from an excellent research environment, intensive mentoring, and diverse opportunities for professional development within a collaborative, future-oriented research ecosystem.

Key competencies

• Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering or a related field
• Knowledge of common data formats and data repositories
• Experience with large datasets (megabyte range), data management and data quality control
• Experience with scientific data libraries and workflow automation on HPC systems
• Excellent programming skills, e.g. in Python, R and/or MATLAB
• Excellent communication skills in German and English for interdisciplinary collaboration
• Professional, structured work style as well as independence and team orientation

Desired skills

• Experience in interdisciplinary collaboration
• Experience in leading data management projects, ideally across multiple domains
• Experience in user support, data documentation, and the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)
• Experience with SQL, reproducible workflows, and clean data management is an advantage.
• Experience with ethical and legal issues related to the curation and management of personal data

Application information

The position is initially limited to two years, with the option of extension.
We look forward to receiving your digital application, including a cover letter, CV, and relevant certificates.