Working and living in Lausanne: Your career in the Swiss geospatial and planning capital on Lake Geneva

An overview of the city

Lausanne — the largest city in French-speaking Switzerland with around 140,000 inhabitants and over 2,000 years of history — is a vibrant center for culture, innovation and science. Located on the shores of sparkling Lake Geneva, between the Alps and the French Jura, Lausanne combines Mediterranean flair with alpine proximity. The Olympic Capital not only impresses as a cultural hotspot with museums, theaters and festivals, but also as a modern technology and research location. Lausanne as a place of work stands out due to its excellent university (UNIL), proximity to EPFL and a dynamic ecosystem for geoinformatics, urban planning and environmental professions. For job seekers in the geospatial, planning and environmental sectors, Lausanne is an attractive market with growing demand, modern authorities and innovative companies — plus the best quality of life in Switzerland combined with the French way of life.

Labor market for geoinformatics, spatial planning and environmental occupations

The job market in Lausanne and the Région lémanique (Lake Geneva region) offers excellent prospects for specialists in the geospatial, planning and environmental sectors. As the headquarters of the University of Lausanne (UNIL) with its renowned Institute of Geography and Sustainability (IGD), as well as in close proximity to EPFL and numerous innovative companies, Lausanne has developed into a center for geodata science and sustainable spatial development.

Geoinformatics & GIS

Geoinformatics specialists and GIS specialists in Lausanne are finding a growing range of positions. The city is continuously digitizing its administration: The Service du cadastre operates a modern geoportal (map.lausanne.ch) with the latest geodata infrastructure and GeoMapFish technology. At the same time, jobs in GIS Lausanne and Geoinformatics Lausanne are being created at private engineering firms such as Suisseplan and Metron, which carry out GIS-based spatial planning and spatial analyses. The demand for GIS specialists is stable and is growing as a result of digitization projects.

Spatial planning & urban planning

The City of Lausanne is planning ambitious projects: Sustainable district development, climate-friendly transformation and the implementation of cantonal spatial planning create job opportunities for Lausanne Regional Planning. The Service d'aménagement et développement territorial and specialized planning offices such as Suisseplan Ingenieure AG and Metron are constantly looking for urban planners, spatial planners and urbanists. Vacancies in Regional Planning Lausanne and Urban Planning Lausanne are regularly created by the municipality, canton and private offices. Swiss planning standards are high — specialists benefit from modern planning processes and high quality.

Surveying & geomatics

The Ville de Lausanne Cadastre Service and private geometry offices provide jobs for surveyors and geomatists. The requirements for modern surveying technology (digital recording, MN95 reference system, 3D mapping) are high. Lausanne surveying jobs are created by authorities and specialized surveying offices.

Environment, water management & sustainability

Lausanne and the canton of Vaud have ambitious sustainability and climate goals: The Environment Agency (Service de l'environnement) and specialized planning offices offer job opportunities for environmental engineers, landscape planners and water specialists. Lake Geneva and alpine waters require specialized expertise in hydrology and water management. Environmental jobs Lausanne are a growing segment, particularly in the context of the Swiss energy transition and climate adaptation.

Quality of life and infrastructure

Living in Lausanne

Living in Lausanne is expensive — rents are among the highest in Switzerland (after Zurich and Bern). However, there are attractive districts with good value for money: The old town with its historic charm, Ouchy on the lakeside for proximity to the water, Montbenon and Montchoisi for peace, or the up-and-coming quarters such as Chauderon and Maladière. The housing market is tight, but there is a wide range of offers. Living costs in general: Switzerland is expensive, but salaries in the geospatial and planning sector are competitive. By way of comparison, spatial planners earn an average of 120,000—150,000 CHF in Switzerland, and geoinformatics specialists 110,000—140,000 CHF.

Transport connections & mobility

Lausanne's transport links are excellent: The main train station (Gare CFF Lausanne) is centrally located and offers direct connections to all Swiss cities — Zurich (3 hours), Bern (2 hours), Geneva (30 min), Basel and also France. The public transport network is one of the best in the world: trams, buses and the M2 metro connect all districts and regions. For car users: The A9 motorway (Geneva-Lausanne) and the A1 national road are quickly accessible. For work-life balance: The short distances (center to suburbs in 20 minutes by public transport) allow relaxed commuting. Remote work is common in Switzerland.

Leisure & relaxation — Lausanne quality of life

Lausanne offers an incredible work-life balance: Lake Geneva with swimming spots, lakeside promenades (Ouchy with museums and restaurants), water sports facilities. The Alps are just 1-2 hours away — skiing in winter, hiking in summer. The cultural calendar is rich: festivals (Montreux Jazz Festival near, Lausanne Underground, Cinema & Cie), theaters, museums (Musée de l'Art, Musée Romain). Cycling is popular and the network is well developed. For families: excellent schools, parks, leisure facilities. Cuisine: French and Italian cuisine characterize the offer — restaurants and cafés at the highest level.

career prospects

The University of Lausanne (UNIL): A research hotspot for geography and sustainability

The University of Lausanne is one of the leading Swiss universities and has an internationally renowned Institute of Geography and Sustainability (IGD). The institute researches six core topics: tourism, sustainable development, water management & geological heritage, urbanism, environmental humanities and geoinformation science. With over 1,800 students in geography programs and a strong master's program (MSc Géography, Environment et Aménagement with specializations such as “Urbanisme durable” and “Analyse et modélisation territoriales”), UNIL is a career starting point for geo-professionals.

Career opportunities: Research assistant positions, doctoral positions, postdocs and lecturers arise regularly. The university cooperates closely with the city administration and private partners — practical experience is guaranteed.

EPFL: Geoinformatics & Spatial Data Research

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) is a world leader in computer science and has specialized chairs in geoinformatics and spatial data science. For IT specialists who want to work in GIS and geodata analysis, EPFL is a springboard.

Job prospects & future trends

Lausanne and the region benefit from:

• Continuous digitization of Swiss administrations
• Growing demand for sustainability experts (energy & climate change)
• Strong innovative power of the tech sector
• International orientation (multilinguism is an advantage)

For geo-professionals, Lausanne is an attractive long-term market with stable demand and excellent prospects.

Your career in Lausanne — start your job search now!

Lausanne offers professionals in the geospatial, planning and environmental sectors the perfect package: world-class universities, innovative companies, growing job opportunities and an unparalleled quality of life on Lake Geneva. Discover current GIS jobs in Lausanne, spatial planning jobs and environmental positions on gogeogo.com — your portal for geo-careers in the DACH region and Switzerland. The best time to start your career in Lausanne is now!