PhD Candidate in Applied ML and NLP

Offre d'emploi : PhD Candidate in Applied ML and NLP -- myScience, Zurich.

ETH Zurich est a la recherche de un candidat au doctorat en ML appliqué et NLP. Opportunité unique d'appliquer IA au système judiciaire suisse.
Tâches
•
Développer des prototypes d'IA pour le traitement légal.
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Évaluer la performance et la fiabilité des systèmes d'IA.
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Collaborer avec les partenaires judiciaires pour des applications réelles.
Compétences
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Diplôme de master en informatique ou domaine lié requis.
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Compétences solides en ML et NLP nécessaires.
•
Capacité à travailler de manière autonome et en équipe.
PhD Candidate in Applied ML and NLP
Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ
Workplace
Zurich
- Zurich region - Switzerland
Category
Innovation | Computer Science
Position
Junior Researcher / PhD Position
Published
16 April 2026
100%, Zurich, fixed-term
As part of the SNSF-funded project ’Responsible AI for the Swiss Judiciary’, we work on real-world applications of artificial intelligence for the Swiss judiciary in close collaboration with courts and partners across Switzerland. We are looking for a PhD candidate in Applied ML and NLP. This doctoral position is part of the SNSF-funded project ’Responsible AI for the Swiss Judiciary’ at ETH Zurich. The project develops and evaluates AI-based prototypes to support judicial decision-making, with a focus on real-world applicability. It combines machine learning, legal applications, and empirical evaluation in collaboration with judicial partners. The project offers a unique opportunity to work on real-world, high-stakes AI systems in collaboration with courts, combining cutting-edge AI research with impactful societal applications.
Job description
The doctoral researcher will focus on the development and evaluation of AI-based research prototypes for legal applications, with a strong emphasis on technical implementation and real-world deployment.
Core responsibilities include:
•
Developing and implementing AI systems for legal text processing and decision support (e.g., LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation, agentic systems)
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Building production-
quality prototypes suitable for pilot deployment in judicial settings, including robust retrieval systems, LLM pipelines, and evaluation infrastructure
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Designing and running systematic evaluations of model performance, robustness, and reliability
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Building datasets, benchmarks, and pipelines for legal AI applications
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Improving model architectures, prompting strategies, and retrieval systems for high-stakes environments
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Conducting pilot evaluations with judicial partners to study how AI tools perform in real decision-making workflows, and translating findings into technical improvements (e.g., new embedding methods, agent architectures, prompting strategies)
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Publishing research results in leading venues in artificial intelligence and computational social science
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The position is designed for a cumulative PhD with a strong methodological and technical focus
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Our offices are located in downtown Zurich, and the working languages are German and English
Profile
We are looking for candidates who combine strong ML/NLP fundamentals with hands-on engineering skills; someone who understands how models work under the hood and can also build reliable, deployable systems. You:
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Must hold a master’s degree in computer science, data science, or a closely related field
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Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills
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Are able to work independently and take ownership of technical components
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Are interested in applying AI methods to real-world, high-stakes domains
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Are motivated to work with legal stakeholders from the Swiss judiciary
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Have expertise with large language models, information retrieval, evaluation of ML systems, and deploying applications; this is highly desirable
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Have an excellent command of English; German language skills are a plus
Workplace
We offer
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Your job with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society
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You can expect numerous benefits , such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ , childcare and attractive pension benefits
Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich
We value diversity and sustainability
In line with our values , ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us - we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future .
Curious? So are we.
We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:
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a cover letter (detailing your relevant expertise for the project mentioned as well as motivation)
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CV
•
transcripts
Further information about the Center for Law & Economics can be found on our Website . Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Jakob Merane (
E-Mail schreiben
) (no applications).
Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.
Apply online now
ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.
More information
In your application, please refer to
myScience.ch
and reference
JobID69667
.

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