Doctoral Student on impacts of climate and hydrological extremes on water quality

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chevron_left Übersicht

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

We invite applications for a Doctoral Student on impacts of climate and hydrological extremes on water quality. The position will be hosted at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science at ETH Zurich and the WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF and will be part of the NCCR CLIM+ programme which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

Project background

The NCCR CLIM+ supports Switzerland in the transformation towards a climate-resilient society. Together with stakeholders, the interdisciplinary NCCR CLIM+ research community tackles unexplored solution spaces to the climate crisis and develops a blueprint for actionable climate research worldwide. NCCR CLIM+ broadly communicates and shares knowledge, and trains a new generation of experts with the necessary domain and transdisciplinary knowledge.

Job description

• Study the effect of climate and hydrological extremes (e.g. heatwaves, droughts, and floods) on water quality (e.g. nutrients, oxygen)
• Use these process-related insights to develop data-driven models to predict water quality under climate change
• Publish your results in scientific journals and present them at national and international conferences

Profile

• A MSc degree in hydrology, climate sciences, environmental sciences, or a closely related field
• Strong hydrological process knowledge
• Experience in statistical and/or data-driven modeling
• Strong programming skills (ideally in Python and/or R)
• Experience in working with large datasets, ideally hydrological, meteorological or climate observations/simulations.
• Very good oral and written communication skills in English
• Command of one of the national languages is an asset
• Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary and international working environment and a collaborative mindset

Workplace

We offer

• You will join the Hydrology & Climate Impacts in Mountain Regions research group that studies water and climate extremes in mountain regions under global change
• We are an engaged, open-minded, and innovative research group trying to make a difference by doing research relevant for society and decision makers
• We work at ETH in Zurich and SLF in Davos and the work location (Zurich/Davos) is up for discussion
• You will be part of the NCCR CLIM+ programme and benefit from its extensive exchange and training in inter- and transdisciplinary research
• The NCCR CLIM+ strives to implement equal opportunity at hiring. At NCCR CLIM+ we believe that diversity of thought, background and experience creates better research

chevron_right Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich

We value diversity and sustainability

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application until 09 October 2026 with the following documents:

• A cover letter
• Your CV
• Diploma certificates and transcripts
• A link to your MSc thesis (draft or final version)
• Contact information of two professional references

Further information about our group can be found on our Website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Manuela Brunner, +41 81 417 03 42 or manuela.brunner@env.ethz.ch (no applications).

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.

About ETH Zürich

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.