The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL is part of the ETH Domain. Approximately 600 people work on the sustainable use and protection of the environment and on the handling of natural hazards. We Are Recruiting 6 PostDoc researchers:
1 – The Research Group Dynamic Macroecology of Dr. Niklaus E. Zimmermann studies questions related to spatial ecology, macroevolution and biodiversity conservation. For this group we are looking from early fall 2023, for the duration of 1 year, (with possibility of extension) for a PostDoc in ecological remote sensing 80-100% (f/m/d) as part of a large SNSF (ERC) Advanced Grant project (Predicting hotspots of climate change impacts on ecosystems from an eco-evolutionary biome framework).
This project aims at (1) mapping global biomes, (2) projecting global change impacts on biomes, and (3) testing a novel eco-evolutionary biome theory. As part of this large effort, you will develop a reproducible and hierarchical global biome mapping pipeline. You will work together with a team of macroecologists, evolutionary biologists, and data scientists.
You will compile and process global, remotely-sensed data products for mapping global biomes from first-principles. Then, you will map biomes accordingly and compare them to output of functional ecological models. Finally, you will derive bioclimatic biome boundaries in collaboration with macroecologists in the project.
The project will be carried out in close cooperation with nine international partners and also contain fieldwork to test the model predictions on four different continents. The main place of work will be the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL in Birmensdorf, Switzerland. You hold a PhD degree in ecological remote sensing or a related field, and you have expert knowledge in the processing of high-volume data with code-based tools.
You have proven experience in spatial modelling and in the use of scripting languages (e.g. Python, R). Further assets are expertise in macroecology and/or functional ecology, and experience in cluster computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The capability to develop new ideas independently is necessary, as are very good English skills (both written and oral).
You are a curious, self-reliant person who is also an excellent team worker and values cooperation.Please upload your complete application to Beatrice Lamprecht, Human Resources WSL, through our webpage. Applications via email will not be considered.
The application should include: 1) a cover letter with a statement about your previous research, your vision for the future of your career and your motivation to work on this project; 2) a curriculum vitae including (if applicable) the list of publications or PhD thesis topics and abstracts; 3) copies of your academic qualifications (i.e., diplomas); and 4) names and contact information of 3 academic references.
Applications will be considered until the position is filled, but we will start evaluating applicants by late August. Niklaus Zimmermann, phone +41 (0)44 739 23 37, email: niklaus.zimmermann@wsl.ch, will be happy to answer any questions or offer further information. The WSL strives to increase the proportion of women in its employment, which is why qualified women are particularly called upon to apply for this position. Apply now
2 – The Research Group Dynamic Macroecology of Dr. Niklaus E. Zimmermann studies questions related to spatial ecology, macroevolution and biodiversity conservation. For this group we are looking from early fall 2023,for the duration of 2 years, for a PostDoc in functional macroecology 80-100% (f/m/d) as part of a large SNSF (ERC) Advanced Grant project (Predicting hotspots of climate change impacts on ecosystems from an eco-evolutionary biome framework).
This project aims at (1) mapping global biomes, (2) projecting global change impacts on biomes, and (3) testing a novel eco-evolutionary biome theory. As part of this large effort, you will develop a reproducible and hierarchical global biome mapping pipeline together with a team of macroecologists, remote sensing specialists, evolutionary biologists and data scientists.
You will identify functional first principles for a hierarchical biome structure and mapping pipeline, and model the spatial distribution of biome dominant plant species with biome-characteristic functional traits. Then, in a team effort, you will develop a reproducible biome mapping pipeline. Finally, you will derive bioclimatic biome boundaries in collaboration with macroecologists and remote sensing specialists in the project.
The project will be carried out in close cooperation with nine international partners and also contain fieldwork to test the model predictions on four different continents. The main place of work will be the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL in Birmensdorf, Switzerland. You hold a PhD degree in ecology, macroecology, functional ecology, or a related field, and you have expert knowledge in the processing of high-volume data with code-based tools. You have proven experience in spatial modelling and scripting languages (e.g. Python, R).
Further assets are expertise in spatial ecology and/or remote sensing, and experience in cluster computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The capability to develop new ideas independently is necessary, as are very good English skills (both written and oral). You are a curious, self-reliant person who is also an excellent team worker and values cooperation. Please upload your complete application to Beatrice Lamprecht, Human Resources WSL, through our webpage. Applications via email will not be considered.
The application should include: 1) a cover letter with a statement about your previous research, your vision for the future of your career and your motivation to work on this project; 2) a curriculum vitae including (if applicable) the list of publications or PhD thesis topics and abstracts; 3) copies of your academic qualifications (i.e., diplomas); and 4) names and contact information of 3 academic references.
Applications will be considered until the position is filled, but we will start evaluating applicants by late August. Niklaus Zimmermann, phone +41 (0)44 739 23 37, email: niklaus.zimmermann@wsl.ch, will be happy to answer any questions or offer further information. The WSL strives to increase the proportion of women in its employment, which is why qualified women are particularly called upon to apply for this position. Apply now
3- The Biodiversity and Conservation Biology research unit and its Environmental Fluid Dynamics group offers within the SNSF research project ” Flow-structure interaction in pulsatile flow of non-Newtonian fluids “, for the duration of two to three years, with start in autumn, 2023 a position as a PostDoc in experimental fluid dynamics / biomedical flow research 80-100% (f/m/d) You will conduct experiments of blood flow in flexible pipes and aorta geometries using state of the art imaging and laser diagnostics.
As a first step, you will investigate the impact flexible walls on the stability of pulsatile flow of polymer solutions. This will provide insights on the synchronisation time scales between flow and wall motion in a system where elastic energy can be stored ‘externally’ (walls) and ‘internally’ (polymers). As a second step, you will study the transition to turbulence in flexible aortas focusing on wall elasticity and rheology. These results will provide comprehensive evidence on the origin of disordered blood flow in realistic cardiovascular geometries.
You will present results at international conferences and publish in scientific journals. You have a PhD in engineering, physics or a similar field, with extensive experience in experimental fluid dynamics. A basic background in biomedical engineering is an asset. You are very motivated and strive to work independently and goal-oriented.
You have excellent communication skills in English and like working in a team. You will be based in the Environmental Fluid Mechanics team with Dr. Markus Holzner with offices at WSL Birmensdorf and laboratory at ETH Hönggerberg.Please send your complete application to Michèle Bucher, Human Resources WSL, by uploading the requested documents through our webpage.
Applications via email will not be considered. Dr. Markus Holzner, phone +41 (0)44 739 29 48, mailto: markus.holzner(at)wsl.ch will be happy to answer any questions or offer further information. WSL strives to increase the proportion of women in its employment, which is why qualified women are particularly called upon to apply for this position. Apply now
4,5 – 2 Two PostDocs in biodiversity & conservation analysis 80-100% (f/m/d) :
The research groups Spatial Evolutionary Ecology of Dr Catherine Graham and Dynamic Macroecology of Dr. Niklaus Zimmermann study spatial ecological, evolutionary and biodiversity conservation questions. For these two groups, we are looking from early fall 2023 for 2 years for 2 PostDocs in biodiversity & conservation analysis 80-100% (f/m/d) The large ETH Domain SPEED2ZERO project (Sustainable Pathways of Environmental and Energy Development towards Net Zero Switzerland;
SPEED2ZERO Project (ethz.ch)), which aims at providing viable and biodiversity-safe action plans to enable Switzerland sustainable transformation to a net zero emission future. As part of this large effort, the 2 PostDocs will analyse existing biodiversity data to optimize science-based decisions on where new renewable energy production infrastructures are more or less harmful to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provisioning in Switzerland under contemporary and projected future climates.
One position will focus on different ways to integrate rare and priority species into calculations of suitability measures for renewable energy infrastructures. The second will consider the interaction between biodiversity and broader set of ecosystem services at the landscape scale in the context of energy infrastructures.
Both projects will consider extreme climatic events using climate scenarios (including extreme scenarios) for Switzerland produced by the ETH Climate Physics group of Prof Reto Knutti. Research will be carried out in close cooperation with partners from the climate and the energy sector and from natural hazards and hydrology. The focus is on terrestrial biodiversity, but a tight interaction with aquatic biodiversity specialists within the project is envisioned. The main place of work for both PostDocs will be the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL in Birmensdorf.
You hold a PhD degree with a solid expert knowledge in ecology, macroecology and biodiversity, or a related field. Proven experience in spatial modelling and scripting languages (e.g. Python, R) is indispensable. Experience with remote sensing and large datasets, as well as cluster computing is an asset. The capability to develop new ideas independently is necessary, as are very good English skills (both written and oral).
You are a curious, self-reliant person who is also an excellent team worker that values cooperation within an international team of researchers. Please upload your complete application to Michèle Bucher, Human Resources WSL, through our webpage.
Applications via email will not be considered. The application should include: 1) a cover letter with a statement about your previous research, your vision for the future and your motivation to work on this project; 2) a curriculum vitae including (if applicable) the list of publications or PhD thesis topics and abstracts; 3) copies of your academic qualifications (i.e., diplomas); and 4) names and contact information of 3 academic references.
Applications will be considered until the positions are filled, but we will start evaluating applicants immediately and thus encourage submissions by mid August 2023. Catherine Graham, phone +41 (0)44 739 23 61, email: catherine.graham(at)wsl.ch, or Niklaus Zimmermann, phone +41 (0)44 739 23 37, email: niklaus.zimmermann(at)wsl.ch, will be happy to answer any questions or offer further information. The WSL strives to increase the proportion of women in its employment, which is why qualified women are particularly called upon to apply for this position. Apply now
6 – The Research Unit Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry investigates the climate change impacts on soil biodiversity, soil functions and ecosystem processes and is looking from October 2023, for a duration of 2 years, for a PostDoc in Environmental Science / Pyrogenic carbon: storage potential in soils (f/m/d)
As part of the multidisciplinary project of the Swiss Center of Excellence on Net-Zero Emissions of the ETH domain, you will assess the quality of various types of pyrolized carbon and test the biological stability in lab and field experiments partly using isotope approaches. You will also evaluate the storage potential and beneficial effect in soils.
Furthermore, you will closely collaborate with other projects improving the production of pyrogenic carbon and testing their use in other materials. You hold a PhD in the field of environmental science (biology, soil science, ecology) and you have good experiences in biogeochemical analyses, interpreting data, and communicating results.
You are highly motivated, self-initiative, creative and enjoy working in an international team.Please send your complete application to Beatrice Lamprecht, Human Resources WSL. Frank Hagedorn, frank.hagedorn@wsl.ch and Jörg Luster, joerg.luster@wsl.ch will be happy to answer any questions or offer further information. The WSL strives to increase the proportion of women in its employment, which is why qualified women are particularly called upon to apply for this position. Apply now