JOB OFFERING FOR TWO RESEARCH ASSOCIATES (PH.D. CANDIDATES) (F/M/D)

28.07.2026, Wissenschaftliches Personal

The project investigates how people perceive time and space in immersive virtual environments, approaches related questions in an interdisciplinary manner (i.e., at the intersection of psychology, technology, and human–computer interaction). We welcome candidates with a strong interest in fundamental research and, ideally, prior experience in VR research.

The two positions are complementary. We encourage you to indicate in your application which profile fits you best; strong candidates who bridge both are also welcome.

Position A — ETH Zurich (technology & VR development focus)

• Primary emphasis on building and engineering immersive VR environments and experimental apparatus. While the candidate will be involved in developmental tasks, they should have a strong interest in fundamental research, and have a general entrepreneurial mindset.
• Well suited to backgrounds in human–computer interaction, game engineering, or media informatics.


Position B — TUM Campus Munich (behavioral & psychology focus)

• Primary emphasis on experimental design, consumer psychology/neuroscience, and data analysis using VR as a research tool and/or to study the peculiarities of VR. While the candidate should have strong profile in data analysis and a willingness to develop conceptual models, they should gain a fundamental understanding of developmental tasks.
• Well suited to backgrounds in psychology, (quantitative) marketing, or neuroscience.


YOUR PROFILE
• An excellent Master’s degree fitting either Position A or B.
• A strong interest in fundamental research tackling questions on the perception of time and space in virtual immersive environments.
• Solid quantitative skills (R, Python, or Stata).
• Programming ability relevant to your target position — for Position A, hands-on experience with a VR engine (Unity or Unreal) is expected; familiarity with OpenXR, Blender, or similar tools is an advantage. For Position B, programming experience is welcome but not as strongly required. Initial understanding of neuroscientific techniques (e.g., eye-tracking) is an ad-vantage for Position B.
• High personal initiative, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the drive to thrive in an ambitious, collaborative research environment.
• Professional proficiency in English (C1/C2 or native); German/Swiss German is a plus.


YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct rigorous research with the ambition to publish in leading international journals.
• Design and implement VR-based experiments and analyze primary and secondary data.
• Collaborate with colleagues, international co-authors, and industry partners.
• Contribute to student supervision / VR-research seminars, or provide operational support for the project.


WHAT WE OFFER
• Start: earliest starting date October 2026.
• Contract & compensation: a 3-year contract at standard doctoral rates (SNSF rates at ETH Zurich; TV-L E13 at TUM). Further details are provided during the interview process.
• Employment:
–Zurich: Chair of Technology Marketing
–Munich: Professorship of Marketing & Technology
• Doctoral training: access to the doctoral programs at ETH Zurich and TUM, plus external opportunities for continuous quantitative training (e.g., GSERM St. Gallen/Lugano, ICPSR at the University of Michigan), including potential research stays in Germany or abroad (e.g., Netherlands, Korea, United States, Canada, Spain, etc.).
• Environment: interdisciplinary teams and collaboration with top international partners (e.g., ESADE, ETH Zurich, Oxford, Yonsei).


HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a single PDF containing: a cover letter stating your motivation to pursue a Ph.D. and any prior experience in VR (ideally linked to perception of time and space); CV; transcript of records; Master's thesis (if available); and two references.

Please submit your application to marktech@mgt.tum.de by 25th August 2026. TUM will collect all applications. For informal questions about the positions, you are welcome to reach out to the same address.


EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & DATA PROTECTION
ETH/TUM strives to raise the proportion of women in its workforce and explicitly encourages applications from qualified women. The positions are suitable for people with disabilities; disabled applicants will be given preference in the case of generally equivalent suitability, aptitude, and professional performance.
Data protection information. As part of your application, you provide personal data to the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Please review our privacy policy on the collection and processing of personal data during the application process, pursuant to Art. 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), at portal.mytum.de/kompass/datenschutz/Bewerbung. By submitting your application, you confirm that you have read and understood this data protection information.

Kontakt: marktech@mgt.tum.de