Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, is an internationally networked aquatic research institute within the ETH Domain (Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology). Eawag conducts research, education and expert consulting to achieve the dual goals of meeting direct human needs for water and maintaining the function and integrity of aquatic ecosystems.
The Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water (W+T) invites applications for a
Postdoctoral Fellow in prediction modelling of nutrients in groundwater
The aim of this position is to develop prediction models and risk maps for nitrate in groundwater throughout Switzerland, e.g., distinguishing between alpine areas vs the Swiss Plateau or forest vs agroecosystems. A further aim is to evaluate the impacts of changes in climate and agricultural management practices on future nitrate levels in groundwater by testing various scenarios.
This project is part of a joint initiative of the ETH Domain that contributes to a holistic understanding of reactive nitrogen across interconnected environmental domains. The overall goal of the research consortium is to predict the impacts of energy transition and environmental changes and produce sensitivity analyses with respect to future policies in Switzerland.
We are looking for a motivated person at the post-doc level for the following tasks:
- Collecting and processing of nitrate data sets from various sources
- Applying modern geostatistical tools to create predictive maps of nitrate in Swiss groundwaters
- Identification of the most important drivers of nitrate levels in groundwater
- Refinement of the predictive model(s) with contributions from the project partners
- Development and testing of scenarios for project synthesis and decision support
- Writing of scientific publications and reports
The successful candidate will have a PhD in geoscience, environmental science or similar. They will have an in-depth understanding of geostatistical analysis including machine-learning tools and programming skills (e.g., R, Python, Matlab). Excellent spoken/written German and English, good organisational skills, and motivation to collaborate across disciplines are required.
Applications should includea motivation letter that highlights relevant experience and specific interests as well as a CV and contact information for three references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Earliest starting date is 1 May 2023. The position is limited to 24 months, with the possibility of a 12 months extension.
Eawag is a modern employer and offers an excellent working environment where staff can contribute their strengths, experience and ways of thinking. We promote gender equality and are committed to staff diversity and inclusion. The compatibility of career and family is of central importance to us. For more information about Eawag and our work conditions, please consult www.eawag.ch and www.eawag.ch/en/aboutus/working/employment.
Questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Dr. Lenny Winkel (no applications).
We look forward to receiving your application. Please send it through this webpage; any other way of applying will not be considered. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the application form.
