He was a teacher, researcher and organiser. In 1857, he took part in the Novara Expedition, which was energetically supported
by the Emperor, and became the first scientific researcher of New Zealand. In 1860, Hochstetter was appointed as Professor
of Mineralogy and Geology at the Polytechnical Institute (the current day Technical University) of Vienna. In 1872, he took
over the geoscience teaching and research position at the Imperial Agricultural College in the Palais Schönborn in Laudongasse.
He died in Vienna on 18 July 1884 (obituary).
Hochstetter was also the teacher of Crown Prince Rudolf. It is therefore not surprising that in 1866, a large portion of the
mineral and rock collection of the Imperial Mineralogical Collection was incorporated into the private collection of the Crown
Prince. Pieces of that collection are still today in the possession of the Agricultural University of Vienna, which were donated
at the request of his wife, Stephanie of Belgium, after his suicide.