Student Assistant (AE)
Student enrolled at EPFL or a Swiss university/Higher Education Institution. Assigned to teaching or various scientific or administrative tasks. Cannot be employed for more than three different positions.
Student Assistants are hired using the HR workflow “Students hiring” in Sesame. For more details on how to use this workflow, the following guides (in French) are available:
- Short Guide (FR)
- Detailed Guide (FR)
- FAQ (general questions about hiring AE)
Student Research Assistant·(AER)
Student enrolled on a Master programme at EPFL who has achieved a very good academic level. Positions filled on the basis of a competitive recruitment procedure. Work schedule determined every six months. Cannot be employed for any other position as AE.
Construction Assistant (AC)
External specialist with university education and at least three years’ professional experience. Their task is to supervise students in exercises (practical work), projects and laboratories.
Temporary Assistant (AT)
Young qualified engineer providing short-term support (maximum three months) within the framework of a course or the practical application of study work.
The hiring of research student assistants (AER), construction assistants (AC) and temporary assistants (AT) is carried out by means of a recruitment file which includes the hiring proposal for temporary staff together with the compulsory documents (ID, residence permit, etc.). For AC/AT, the Mission confiée par l’EPFL section must be completed.
The file must be sent to the payroll manager of your unit/School before employment commences.
Hiring conditions
When a person has been employed on a (regular) contractual basis, a minimum period of three months’ pause is required before they can be hired as temporary staff.
No employment contract is drawn up.
Teleworking is possible within Switzerland only.
More information can be found on LEX 4.7.1.
Permit
Temporary staff must be of Swiss nationality or have a valid permit for the duration of the employment. This condition also applies during the Covid-19 period.
For European Union (EU) citizens, employment may be taken up as soon as they start their university education in Switzerland, whereas third-country nationals (non-EU) will have to wait six months before commencing any employment.
Working hours
Students are authorised to work a maximum of 15 hours per week during the semester. It is possible however to work full time (41 hours per week) during university holidays.
Remuneration
- Student Assistant : CHF 25.00/ h (gross)
- Construction or Temporary Assistant :
- With university degree : from CHF 34.50 (gross) to CHF 74.50 / h (gross) ; hourly rate determined by HR according to year the degree was obtained
- With technical degree : from CHF 28.00 (gross) to CHF 53.50 / h (gross) ; hourly rate determined by HR according to year the degree was obtained
- Secondary-school student (must be over 16 years of age) : CHF 21.00/ h (gross) ; assigned to ad-hoc/seasonal tasks.
The total remuneration must not exceed the limit for affiliation to the LPP.
Declaration of hours by units to HR
The declaration of the number of hours worked by temporary employees paid hourly is done electronically via Sesame (Workflows RH).
The hours are paid with a one-month time lag. You have until the 15th of the current month to declare the hours worked the previous month (except in December ; the hours for November and December must be declared by the 15.12.). After the 15th, the data entered are transferred to the salary software and paid on the 25th of the month. Please ensure that you inform the persons concerned that payment will be made after the data has been recorded in the software and with a time lag of one month in relation to the month worked.