Student Research Assistant – Unity Frontend Development for Digital Einstein — ETH Zürich

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Geographic detail

This page corresponds to the job slug assistente-per-la-ricerca-degli-studenti-sviluppo-di-unity-frontend-per-digital-einstein-eth-zurich-zurich (trailing token: Eth Zurich Zurich).

The reference location stated in the job ad is Zurich, Canton of Ticino. Remote-tagged roles still retain the city reference for tax, contract and G Permit enrolment purposes.

Original description

Student Research Assistant – Unity Frontend Development for Digital Einstein 10%-30%, Zurich, fixed-term print Drucken The Digital Character AI team at ETH Zurich's Computer Graphics Laboratory is looking for a Student Research Assistant to support the frontend development of our interactive AI avatar platforms. Our work focuses on lifelike digital humans powered by large language models, affective computing, and real-time rendering — deployed at high-profile events such as the World Economic Forum, Berlin Science Week, and GITEX. You can learn more about the Digital Einstein project here . Project background Digital Einstein is an award-winning AI avatar platform that brings Albert Einstein to life as an interactive conversational agent. Built on a Unity-based frontend integrated with speech recognition and real-time facial and body animations, it has been showcased at major international events. The backend is implemented in Python and orchestrates large language models for dialogue management and response generation. We are currently extending the platform to a new Digital Curie installation. As our team scales up, we are looking for a student assistant to primarily help maintain and further develop the Unity frontend for both avatars — with the option to also contribute to the Python/LLM backend. Job description • Frontend maintenance and feature development in Unity for the Digital Einstein and Digital Curie avatar platforms • Integration and testing of UI components, interaction flows, and real-time rendering elements • Optionally: support on the Python/LLM backend (dialogue systems, model integration) • On-site support at events and demonstrations (setup, visitor interaction, troubleshooting) • Weekly team meetings (1–2 hours) to discuss progress and plan next steps • Workload: 15 hours/week during semester, up to 41 hours/week during semester breaks (flexible) Profile • Enrolled student at ETH Zurich or another Swiss university • Strong hands-on experience w

Job details

  • Company: ETH Zürich
  • Position: Student Research Assistant – Unity Frontend Development for Digital Einstein
  • Location: Zurich, Ticino
  • Sector: Università / Ricerca
  • Expired on: 2026-06-01

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Information for cross-border workers

ETH Zürich is located in Zurich in the Canton of Ticino. Cross-border workers need a G Permit, renewable annually, to work in Switzerland. The Canton of Ticino applies withholding tax at variable rates on gross income. Since 2024, the New Tax Agreement introduces concurrent taxation between Italy and Switzerland.

Swiss social contributions include AVS (5.3%), unemployment insurance (1.1%) and LPP (occupational pension). Use our free tax simulator to calculate your net salary and compare the cost of living between Switzerland and Italy.

G permit and residence. To apply for this position as a cross-border worker you must reside in an Italian municipality within the 20 km border zone (Lombardy or Piedmont) and return home at least once a week. The employer files the G permit at the cantonal migration office after the contract is signed: first issuance takes 2-6 weeks and is then renewed yearly. Full-time remote work from Italy is not compatible with cross-border status; extended absences from the Italian home (more than a working week without returning) jeopardise the fiscal regime.

Net salary and the 2024 fiscal agreement. The gross salary advertised here is withheld at source by the Swiss employer at effective rates between 5 % and 19 % in the Canton of Ticino depending on income, marital status and dependants. Cross-border workers hired on or after 1 January 2024 fall under the new Italy-Switzerland concurrent regime: Italy taxes foreign employment income while granting a tax credit on Swiss withholding up to 80 %, declared in section RW of the Italian tax return. Together with social charges the typical gross-to-net gap is 18-28 %. For a personalised calculation on the gross offered by ETH Zürich open the salary simulator.

Commute and quality of life. Working in Zurich means a daily commute that depends on which crossing you use: Brogeda (A2 motorway) and Chiasso-strada cover the Mendrisiotto and Luganese areas; Stabio and Gaggiolo serve commuters from the Varese province; Ponte Tresa is the historic gateway for Luino and the Verbano lake region. At peak times a Como-Lugano leg runs 25-50 minutes; Varese-Lugano typically takes 35-60. For those considering relocation to Ticino, average rent for a 3.5-room flat in Lugano is CHF 1,500-2,200/month, against EUR 600-900 for an equivalent unit in the province of Como. The Swiss healthcare network (LAMal) offers shorter access times than the Italian SSN but at a monthly premium of CHF 350-500 per adult — a substantial line item in any net-vs-net comparison.

Frequently asked questions

What is the net salary for a cross-border worker in Ticino?
Net salary depends on gross income, marital status and number of children. In the Canton of Ticino, withholding tax ranges from about 2% to 15%. Together with AVS-AI-IPG (5.3%), unemployment insurance (1.1% up to CHF 148,200/year) and LPP (7-18% by age), the typical gross-to-net gap is 18-28%. Use our simulator for a personalised calculation against this listing.
Do cross-border workers need Swiss LAMal health insurance?
New cross-border workers since 2024 must enrol in Swiss LAMal within 3 months of starting work, unless they exercise the right of option to stay in the Italian SSN. Premiums vary by canton, insurance model (standard, family doctor, telmed, HMO) and deductible (CHF 300 minimum up to 2,500 maximum): compare LAMal premiums.
How do I get a G permit to work in the Canton of Ticino?
The G permit is filed by the employer at the cantonal migration office after the contract is signed. First issuance takes 2-6 weeks; the permit is renewed yearly up to the contractual limit. You must reside in an Italian municipality within the 20 km border zone (Lombardy or Piedmont) and return home at least once a week. Full-time remote work from Italy is not compatible with the status.
13th-month salary, vacation and overtime: what does Swiss law say?
The 13th salary is not statutory but is standard practice in Ticino and almost always specified in the contract: paid in December or split into two tranches (June + November). Minimum statutory holiday is 4 weeks (5 weeks for under-20s and over-50s with seniority). Overtime above 40-45 weekly hours, under the Labour Act (LL), is compensated with a 25% premium or equivalent time off within 14 weeks.
What documents do I need to apply for a Swiss job?
For the initial application: CV (European or Swiss format, in a cantonal language), cover letter, and a recent work certificate. After the contract is signed: valid ID card (passport recommended), Italian residence certificate, birth certificate for the G-permit filing, and — for regulated sectors (healthcare, schools, security) — recognition of the Italian degree by SBFI/SEFRI or the relevant cantonal authority, a process that takes 3-6 months.

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