Specialty Areas: General Linguistics; Linguistic Theories; Psycholinguistics

Description:

The Faculty of Humanities at the University of Geneva is advertising two positions for Ph.D. assistants in linguistics starting August 1st, 2026 (or to be agreed upon).

Desired Profile:
The ideal candidates have a Ph.D. research project in mind and commit to working on a thesis in the field of theoretical and/or experimental linguistics (e.g., syntax, semantics-pragmatics, prosody, psycholinguistics) within the Department of Linguistics under the supervision of Prof. Danfeng Wu and/or Dr. Milica Denić. The candidate should hold a master's degree in linguistics (or equivalent), and have a good command of French.

Duties:
The Ph.D. assistants will conduct research for their doctoral thesis. They will also teach for two hours per week (with a semester of break from teaching, during the first or second year) according to the needs of the Department of Linguistics. They will also participate in correcting assignments, supervising students, and doing administrative tasks for the department.

Duration:
These positions are 70% for the first two years and will increase to 100% from the third year. The assistants are appointed for an initial period of two years. The appointment is then renewable for two successive periods, respectively of two years and one year.

Salary:
Gross annual salary is CHF 47,850 in the first two years (for 70% position; 8/4 of the salary scale). The maximum salary is reached after two years (CHF 81,246 per year for 100% position; 8/12 of the salary scale).

Required degree and skills:
- Master’s in linguistics or related fields (or equivalent qualification);
- expertise and interest in theoretical and/or experimental linguistics;
- strong motivation, independence and organizational skills;
- good command of French.

The following knowledge and skills would be a plus:
- experience in teaching;
- experience with or interest in interdisciplinary linguistic research.

Application Deadline: 22-Feb-2026
Application Instructions:
The following documents must be included in a single pdf document and be sent to Prof. Danfeng Wu and Dr. Milica Denić at danfeng.wu@unige.ch and milica.denic@unige.ch by February 22, 2026. The application file can be in French or English.

- a cover letter describing the experience and motivation relevant to the position;
- a curriculum vitae with a copy of the diplomas;
- a proposal for the Ph.D. project (doctoral thesis) (2-4 pages);
- a writing sample;
- a list of references (only names and email addresses).

Contact Information:

Email: Danfeng.Wu@unige.ch

Email: Milica.Denic@unige.ch

Email Address for Applications: danfeng.wu@unige.ch