PhD position in Supply Chain Management

The Supply Chain Management Group (Prof. Dr. Stephan Wagner) at the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics at ETH Zurich invites applications for a PhD student/research assistant with a background in Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen / Master of Science, MSc.

Supply chains are undergoing major changes. Rising geopolitical tensions, the need to manage environmental, social, and governance risks, and changing customer preferences have pushed supply chain management to the top of the executive agenda. The capabilities of supply chain start-ups and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, or the Internet of Things are being used to improve supply chain management. We are looking for a PhD student who will take responsibility for creating and disseminating new knowledge in supply chain management in areas such as

• Innovation in the supply chain
• Supply chain and entrepreneurship
• Digitalization and technologies in the supply chain
• Sustainability and ESG risks
• Supply chain risk, disruption and resilience
• Last-mile logistics
• Sourcing and supplier relationships

You will be responsible for your own doctoral research, supporting research projects, supervising master’s theses, and assisting in teaching. You will also be expected to participate in community outreach and educational programs. You should be willing and interested in writing research-oriented papers for scholarly journals, academic proceedings, and practitioner journals.

We seek candidates with a strong interest in empirical research.

We expect:

• an excellent Master degree in Industrial Engineering (Wi-Ing.)
• strong team spirit
• social skills
• independence and a high motivation for academic research.
• a strong background in statistics and data analysis is required

Fluency in written and spoken English and some experience in consulting or industry is a plus. The ability to work with industry partners in German is a plus. Candidates with a primarily analytical background and/or interest will not be considered.

This is a 100% fixed-term position based in Zurich. The initial contract is for two years with the possibility of extension until the completion of the PhD. We offer an optimal working environment and strong mentoring throughout the PhD project. We offer the opportunity to collaborate with research institutes and universities abroad and to present research results at international conferences.

The position begins upon agreement and will typically last three to four years, including doctoral coursework.