Senior Program Officer working on Mediation Support

The Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich is a center of competence for Swiss and international security policy and peace promotion. It offers expertise in research, teaching, and consultancy.

The CSS Think Tank serves as an important link between academia and practitioners in the field of security policy and as a point of contact and reference for the wider public.

Our CSS Mediation Support Team facilitates efforts to negotiate, mediate and transform violent political conflicts by conducting research, providing training and directly supporting those engaged in peace practice and conflict transformation processes. We are seeking someone to work as senior program officer in our “Mediation Support Project” a joint project between the CSS ETH Zurich and swisspeace, working in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

You will be part of the mediation support team at the CSS ETH Zurich. The project aims to professionalize mediation through applied research, training, and process support in conflict contexts. Tasks involve knowledge management and applied research related to mediation in peace processes, as well as supporting conflict analysis, dialogue, negotiation and mediation activities in conflict contexts. You will be involved in training future mediators and peace practitioners, as well as training parties in a conflict context and will also undertake coordination and management tasks related to the MSP program (e.g. supervision of junior staff).

You will have a relevant MA as well as five years of mediation/mediation support, project management and applied research experience related to peace mediation. You are a curious, cooperative, independent personality with strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Experience of working and living in conflict contexts, as well as process support work and editing applied research publications, is an asset. The CSS is a multi-lingual working environment, so proficiency in English is required. At least one Swiss national language and Spanish are key assets. Other language skills such as Arabic or Russian are beneficial. Work experience in international organizations or think tanks related to the topic of mediation and mediation support would be an advantage.

We offer the opportunity to develop mediation and mediation support skills and expertise, within the environment of a university-based think tank working on security and peace issues.

The position is non-permanent: The term of appointment is for two years, with the option to prolong if there is funding and it fits the candidate’s career path, as well as the needs of the CSS.

We offer a workplace in the center of Zurich with attractive working conditions. Further training and the ability to develop your own applied research and process support related to peace mediation with the possibility to publish in different formats are part of the career development and are central elements of our personnel policy.