The Art History Department (Program Directorate) in collaboration of the departments of Film Studies, Archaeology, Media and Communication, and Educational Sciences of the University of Zurich is seeking a qualified and committed scholar for the newly established
Lecturer Teaching position in Digital Methods for the Study of Visual Cultural Data
Your responsibilities
This position offers a strategic opportunity to develop interdisciplinary courses that integrate disciplinary expertise in the study of global visual cultures (historical and present) with computational analytical methods and critical approaches to digital tools and artifacts.
The successful candidate will hold a doctoral degree in one of following fields: Art History, Visual Culture, Media Studies, Archaeology, Film Studies, Education, Digital Humanities, Digital Culture Studies, or a closely related field, with a focus on the computational analysis of visual materials. They will specialize in digital curation and analysis of visual cultural data (e.g. artworks, photographs, maps, films and videos, digital media (memes, Instagram posts), objects, artifacts, exhibition records, visual archives), with expertise in computational methods (e.g., computer vision, machine learning, network analysis, data management, digital preservation) as well as critical perspectives, including tool and data criticism and digital ethics. They will also have proven experience in teaching computational methods within the context of visual culture studies.
They will engage in cross-institutional or transdisciplinary collaborations with experts across disciplines and cultural areas (Art History incl. East Asian Art History, Film Studies, Archaeology, Media and Communication, Educational Sciences) to ensure disciplinary relevance and adaptability to evolving academic and technological developments.
Teaching Responsibilities
- Teaching responsibilities equivalent to 8 weekly teaching units (each 45 minutes), generally corresponding to four courses per semester at the BA, MA, and/or PhD level in the programs of Film Studies, Art History, Archaeology, Media and Communication, and Educational Sciences.
- Administrating exams (student performance assessments)
- Participating in student information events and preparation of informational materials for students.
Didactic and Institutional Responsibilities
- Participating in university-level pedagogical training.
- Offering cross-institutional training for instructors teaching the modules: covering technical fundamentals, adaptation and implementation of the latest applications/programs into the modules, and transdisciplinary didactics.
Research
- Demonstrating visible research activity in the field of Digital Humanities with a focus on visual cultural data;
- Authoring of scholarly publications;
- Collaborating and networking with research partners within and beyond the involved departments;
- Participating in conferences, including contributions of original research.
Your profile
Required Qualifications:
- PhD in one of the following fields: Art History, Visual Culture, Media Studies, Archaeology, Film Studies, Education, Digital Humanities, Digital Visual Culture Studies (or a closely related field with a focus on the study of visual culture) with a demonstrated research focus on the computational analysis of visual cultural materials. Candidates from these fields must demonstrate documented experience (such as project portfolios, work with digital archives, or scholarly publications) in the computational analysis of visual materials, as well as proven experience in teaching computational methods within the visual culture studies. An understanding of the diversity and specificity of various forms of cultural data, including those produced outside the Euro-American context, and of the computational approaches relevant to their study, is considered an asset.
- Expertise in computational methods and approaches such as:
- Digital curation and data management of visual cultural data
- Computer vision and image analysis
- Machine learning applications for cultural visual data
- Mapping visual data and network analysis
- Critical approaches incl. critical data studies, tool criticism, and digital ethics. - Demonstrated experience in university-level teaching in computational methods for the study of visual cultural data at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels (experience at the PhD level is an asset). This includes the development and delivery of courses, and the supervision of student projects. Experience teaching across disciplines or mixed-method courses; ability to adapt content for diverse audiences is expected.
- Ability to teach and supervise in English (knowledge of German at the time of appointment is an asset but not a requirement).
Information on your application
To apply, candidates are requested to submit as one PDF file the following documents by September 15, 2025:
- A cover letter outlining the candidate's academic profile and key achievements
- A CV detailing relevant qualifications and experience
- A Teaching Statement (max. 3 pages), describing teaching experience, courses taught, development of teaching materials, any pedagogical training, and the candidate's vision for future teaching plans
- A Research Statement (max. 2 pages), including planned research agenda for the next three years, a list of publications, and international conference presentations
- Contact details of at least one academic reference
Note: Teaching evaluations and samples of publications will be requested in the second stage of the selection process for shortlisted candidates. Interviews are scheduled to take place in November–December 2025.
To submit your application, please click the 'Apply Now' button.
Further information
Questions about the job
Prof. Dr. Ewa Machotka, Chair of East Asian Art History
Questions about the application procedure
Vera Müller-Hellstern HR Manager
