Senior Researcher, 100

With around 2100 Bachelor and Master students Zurich University of the Arts is one of the major and most diverse universities of the arts in Europe. The study and research programme covers the areas of art education design film fine arts music dance theatre and transdisciplinary the centre of Zurich the ZHdK is a dynamic place where passionate people from over 75 countries work study teach research and further their education. The university has numerous exhibition and performance venues where students projects can be shown to the public.

In the Department of Performing Arts and Film Immersive Arts Space we are looking for

the project Performing AI (funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) a

Senior Researcher 100%

(fixed-term for 2 years)

Performing AI is a 4-year project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). The interdisciplinary project assembles social human and natural science researchers from the Universities of Fribourg and Lausanne and the University of Tokyo with backgrounds in STS sociology performance studies media arts and artificial life / artificial intelligence.

Performing AI asks multiple questions : How is AI enacted in governmental policy What does artistic practice do to AI and what does AI do to artistic practice How is AI reconfigured in interdisciplinary scientific domains such as complex systems and artificial life (as opposed to computer science) How is AI taken up resisted or reconfigured in the public sphere including schools museums and festivals focused on the intersections of art technology and society

The outcomes of Performing AI include artistic exhibitions and performances workshops with international cultural venues journal articles conference proceedings and other publications and a series of interdisciplinary team summits in Switzerland and Japan.

The research will be conducted at the Immersive Art Space (ZHdK) and in close collaboration with the Ikegami Laboratory (University of Tokyo AISAC Atomi Information Science and Arts Centre). It builds on previous work using biological AI techniques such as spiking neural networks and cellular automata to explore new possibilities for an aesthetics of behaviour in the field of A-Life performance.

We are looking for a senior researcher to join the ZHdK team to practically explore human-machine performativity in live artistic performance settings where robotic (non-anthropomorphic) and AI systems (LLMs-driven machines Agential AI biological AI techniques) are coupled with theatre machinery (e.g. lighting sound). The goal is to develop new dramaturgical and technological techniques to translate the liveliness of human action into material mechanical and embodied systems that can interact with performers and audiences on stage and in installations settings.

The working language is English; however knowledge of French and / or Japanese would be an asset.

The position is 100% for 2 years starting March 2026 or later upon agreement.

Requirements profile :

• PhD in Computer Science HCI Computing Arts or related fields
• Strong background in artificial intelligence machine learning interactive systems or

programming applied to creative contexts

or performing arts

(e.g. Max / MSP OpenFramework Touch Designer)

cultural uses of AI

We will gladly accept your application with

the topic (max. 2 pages)

(max. 3 pages)

until 11 January 2026 via the Apply online now link at the end of this advertisement. Please note that we only consider online applications for this position.

Interviews are expected to take place on 20 / 21 January 2026.

For further information please contact : and

More information can be found at .

Zurich University of the Arts

print recommend

Required Experience :

Senior IC

Key Skills

Arm,Machine Learning,AI,C / C++,R,Clinical Trials,Experience Administering Injections,Research Experience,Research & Development,Assembly,Semantic Web,Vulnerability Research

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1