The International Space Science Institute (ISSI) is an Institute of advanced studies in the space sciences (Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Planetary Sciences and Earth Science), located in Bern, Switzerland.
ISSI invites applications for a full-time position of
Director
starting on January 1, 2026. The appointee will be a member of the Directorate of ISSI.
The internationally recognised scientific stature of the Directors ensures the visibility and the scientific excellence of the activities carried out at the Institute in their field of expertise. The current Directorate is composed of the Executive Director and three Directors who bring expertise in the scientific areas that ISSI covers, as described above. The Directors inspire and manage ISSI’s activities in their scientific field: breakthrough workshops, workshops, fora, international teams, working groups, and the Institute’s visiting scientist programme.
The new Director will bring an established international reputation in either Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Planetary Sciences, or Earth Science, and their scientific expertise will complement the current composition of the Directorate. They will be responsible for the formal and informal interactions with the large community of scientists (approximately 1000) visiting ISSI every year. A good knowledge of ISSI and of the Swiss academic environment as well as of ESA and the worldwide space science community will be an asset.
The appointment will be made through the University of Bern at the associate professor level for a period of four years (renewable), with corresponding research opportunities and teaching duties. Candidates from countries where habilitation is standard practice are expected to have completed the process. All other candidates are expected to have a substantial research record and teaching experience.
We explicitly encourage applications from female scientists, as the University of Bern is committed to increasing the proportion of women in senior academic roles. Note also that the University of Bern signed the DORA declaration and applies its principles to the recruiting process. Applications should contain
For inquiries about the position, interested scientists may contact the chair of the Search Committee: Prof. Willy Benz, Univ. of Bern Professor Emeritus, and President of ISSI’s Board of Trustees (willy.benz@unibe.ch).
Applications, in a single pdf file, should be uploaded through the online submission form below no later than July 31, 2025.
ISSI is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Thirty years ago, the dream of a visionary scientist came true. A dream of a very special place where science was the focus, a welcoming international institute where the only language spoken was science, a centre of excellence uniting the scientific community under the same big sky that humanity has looked up to for centuries.
Eligible research projects must involve the interdisciplinary analysis and evaluation of space mission data. They may also draw on complementary ground-based data and/or theoretical modelling where this adds scientific value.
This call is open to all scientists, regardless of nationality or institutional affiliation, who are actively involved in any of the following research fields:
1. Space Sciences: Astrobiology, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Fundamental Physics in Space, Magnetospheric and Space Plasma Physics, Planetary Sciences, Solar and Heliospheric Physics, and Solar-Terrestrial Sciences.
2. Earth Sciences using space data. This includes understanding and modelling Earth system processes, as well as climate change projections.
The International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern, Switzerland, invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Earth Sciences for a two-year period, ideally starting in January 2025, to be negotiated. The successful candidate should have received a Ph.D. within the last five year in the fields related to Earth Sciences in general.
The International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern, Switzerland, invites applications for a Discipline Scientist in the areas of
1) Exoplanet Sciences
2) Planetary Science and
3) Climate Science
The Earth’s atmosphere and ocean are in the focus of Professor Weiqing Han, who is affiliated with the University of Colorado and a former ‘Johannes Geiss Fellow’ at ISSI Bern. Her focus is predominantly on the dynamics of our evolving climate across intra-seasonal to decadal time frames. Important facets of her work encompass ocean dynamics, regional sea-level fluctuations, climate variability, and the intricate interplay between the atmosphere and the ocean. Below, Professor Han provides a synopsis of her latest publications arising from her time as an ISSI fellow.
