Pascal Strupler was born in Visp in canton Valais on 21 March 1959 (place of origin: Frauenfeld, canton Thurgau). After gaining his baccalaureate in Brig he attended the Law Faculty of the University of Bern, graduating in 1986. In 1991 he obtained a Diploma in Public Administration following a three-year part-time course at the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration in Lausanne.

Pascal Strupler began his professional career in 1986 at the Federal Tax Administration (FDF). In 1990 he moved to what was then the Federal Office of Foreign Economic Affairs (now SECO; FDEA) where he remained for 5 years. Between 1995 and 1998, in his capacity as section head at the Integration Office FDFA/FDEA, he participated in numerous delegations involved in the bilateral negotiations between Switzerland and the EU and was head of the Swiss delegation at EUREKA (organisation for European research cooperation).

From June 1998 until the beginning of 2003, Mr. Strupler was personal advisor to Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin at the FDEA and the FDHA. During this time he handled a range of dossiers relating to Europe, particularly covering issues of European integration, both rounds of bilateral negotiations and Switzerland's relations with numerous international business organisations.

Between February 2003 and December 2009 he was Secretary-General of the Federal Department of Home Affairs.

He took up his position Director of the Federal Office of Public Health on 1 January 2010.