Doctoral Student in Forest Management Effects on Water Quality / Doctoral Studentess in Forest Management Effects on Water Quality

Doctoral Student in Forest Management Effects on Water Quality

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

The student will be hosted between the groups WaldLab Ecohydrology and Silviculture. The WaldLab Ecohydrology group is part of the Chair of Hydrology and River System Science at the ETH Zurich Institute of Environmental Engineering, with expertise in water chemistry assessments in forested ecosystems. The Silviculture group falls under the Chair of Forest Resources Management at the ETH Zurich Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, specializing in silviculture and forest management. We are seeking a reliable, enthusiastic, and highly motivated doctoral student with a passion for interdisciplinary science to join our team.

Project Background

This position is part of the project "Forest Management and Drinking Water Security under Climate Change," supported by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment. The project investigates the critical link between forest ecosystem management and health and the quality of drinking water across Switzerland. As climate change intensifies disturbances such as droughts, windthrows, and pest outbreaks, understanding how forest structure and management influence water quality outcomes is vital.

Across national scale and experimental sites, the project integrates country-wide data analysis, water quality monitoring of spring networks, and detailed mechanistic insights into subsurface flow routing and transit times. The project is closely aligned with forest and drinking water stakeholders and decision-making authorities; thus, a solid, fundamental understanding of Central European and Swiss forest ecosystems (including species composition, development stages, and silvicultural practices) is essential for this role. The project will be conducted in a collaborative environment between the two research groups, providing extensive technical support and interdisciplinary expertise in ecohydrology and forest management.

Job Description

The doctoral project focuses on assessing the resilience of Swiss drinking water resources to forest changes and management interventions. As the successful candidate, your work will include:

• National-Scale Data Integration: Analyzing gradients in forest cover and structure (e.g., tree species mixtures, density) in relation to long-term drinking water parameters, accounting for hydrogeology and land-use history.
• Field Monitoring & Sampling: Conducting water quality assessments across Swiss-wide spring networks to identify how management practices influence resilience during event-driven disturbances.
• Mechanistic Investigations: Monitoring intensively instrumented experimental sites to determine how forest health and structure alter subsurface flow routing and contamination pulses.
• Synthesis & Strategy Development: Developing and evaluating suitable management strategies to reduce drinking water risks.
• Stakeholder Communication: Performing statistical analyses and modeling to translate findings into actionable management recommendations for water abstractions.

The full-time position is funded for four years. Salary and social benefits are provided according to ETH Zurich rules.

Profile

Upon starting, you must have completed a Master’s degree in hydrology, environmental sciences, forest sciences, ecology, or a closely related field, with experience in water chemistry, silviculture, experimental fieldwork, and large-scale data analysis. You must possess good statistical skills and programming experience (e.g., in R or Python). Excellent written and spoken English, as well as a driver’s license, are mandatory. For this project, knowledge of German and other Swiss national languages is considered an asset. Good writing skills and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment are essential.

Workplace

Joining the ETH Zurich environment means becoming part of a world-leading research institute that not only supports your professional development but also actively contributes to positive change in society. Numerous benefits await, including public transport season tickets, car-sharing options, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ, childcare services, and attractive pension benefits.

We Offer

• An inspiring, international, and interdisciplinary work environment in a world-leading research institute.
• Opportunities to collaborate with practitioners and federal/cantonal offices.
• Chances to present research at national and international conferences.
• A supportive atmosphere for developing your scientific career.
• Participation in and shaping a dynamic research team with supportive colleagues, fostering collaboration and mutual learning.
• Access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure.

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 discover how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us, and we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So Are We.

We look forward to receiving your online application using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

About ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich is one of the world's leading universities specializing 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 a place that promotes independent thinking in an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, we forge connections across the globe to develop solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s global challenges.