[Freak_NL]

I think this is not likely to be something you would encounter only in Switzerland; it's a global phenomenon as far as I can tell (it certainly seems common here in the Netherlands).

You just don't fit the ideal profile of what many companies (and certainly start-ups) are looking for in a new developer: i.e. slightly naïve, little to no familial obligations, willing to work long hours (beyond what is healthy and reasonable), and little legacy baggage. Also, childishly put, having a PhD means you would academically 'outrank' most of your would-be colleagues and (most significantly) bosses, and for a lot of people it marks you as someone who is way too theoretical to fit into a development team. These are prejudices to be sure, but we don't appear to live in a world devoid of them.

Of course you would probably be a very good hire for a company that values its employees and sees a well-balanced career like yours as a chance to built on your experience, but those companies may be harder to find.