Call for applications: NOMIS–ETH Fellowships investigate the origins of life
Published on
September 4, 2026
Organization
ETH Zurich has opened the 2026 call for the NOMIS–ETH Fellowship Program, inviting outstanding early-career researchers to pursue independent, interdisciplinary projects on one of science’s most fundamental questions: how life begins and where it may exist. Applications for fellowships within the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL) are open until Nov. 6, 2026.
The NOMIS–ETH Fellowship Program supports outstanding early-career researchers in conducting independent, interdisciplinary research on the origin and prevalence of life. Fellows are encouraged to develop their own research ideas while being embedded in a vibrant scientific environment that promotes autonomy, curiosity, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The program aims to foster the next generation of scientific leaders in the emerging field of life in the universe.
Eligibility
Applicants must be early-career researchers who have demonstrated scientific excellence and hold a doctoral degree. Applications must be submitted jointly by the candidate and one or two ETH Zurich professors, who are COPL members and willing to serve as host. Proposals must reflect strong synergies between the host groups and the applicant’s interdisciplinary project. Priority is given to applicants who propose their own research projects.
Funding
The NOMIS–ETH Fellowship provides full salary funding for three years, with a possible fourth-year extension funded by the host professor(s) following a successful mid-term review. The fellowship includes a 100% salary according to ETH standards and provides up to CHF 20,000 annually to support research activities and international mobility.
Timeline
Applications must be submitted by November 6, 2026, at 17:00 Zurich local time via the ETH job board:
https://jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOPG_ethz_HADDooajzVrtCF2fGd
Selected fellows will be announced in mid-February 2027. The fellowships are expected to start between April and September 2027.
For full application details, eligibility information and program background, visit the COPL website:
https://copl.ethz.ch/opportunities/nomis-eth-fellowships.html
