Current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods are not specifically designed for space activities, revealing significant methodological gaps in modeling the environmental impacts of rocket and satellite launches or re-entry emissions. There is a notable absence of time- and location-dependent Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods, and a comprehensive framework for transparent and reproducible LCA studies in the space sector is required.
You will develop an innovative scientific LCA framework aimed at quantifying the environmental impacts and trade-offs associated with rocket launches, artificial re-entries, and the broader space sector. Your key responsibilities will include contributions to LCIA method development, working closely with aerospace engineers and atmospheric and climate scientists focused on emissions related to launch and re-entry activities. Additional responsibilities will involve dynamic/prospective LCA, uncertainty assessment, robustness evaluation, and system design optimization.
You will be enrolled in the ETHZ (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) doctoral school and will receive your PhD title from ETHZ. This position is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Network (DN) -SLICE- (Space Launch Impact on Climate and Environment). You will hold the status of a -SERI-funded MSCA DN Grantee-. As part of the MSCA DN, you will have the opportunity to visit the Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium in Davos (PMOD) in Switzerland and Deimos Engineering and Systems SLU (DES) in Puertollano, Spain for approximately three months each. You will collaborate closely with other SLICE research projects and engage in network training and workshops.
*Horizon Europe MSCA Mobility Rule:* Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host organization's country (Switzerland) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the recruitment date — unless it is as part of a compulsory national service or a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention.
Horizon Europe MSCA Eligibility Criteria: Doctoral Candidates (DC) must not have been awarded a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment by the host organization. Applicants must be eligible to enroll in a PhD program at ETHZ.
The PSI provides an interdisciplinary, innovative, and collaborative environment with systematic on-the-job training, personal development opportunities, and strong support for balancing work with family or other commitments through modern employment conditions and on-site infrastructure.
The LEA group is a leader in developing open Python packages for LCA, including Brightway, Premise, and Edges. You will receive hands-on training in LCA and will work with these LCA tools alongside atmospheric emission, trajectory, and launcher optimization models from project partners such as LEAT, REAT, and WACCM.
As part of the SLICE consortium, an international network of over 30 researchers from multiple disciplines, you will benefit from a structured training program focused on space transportation systems, as well as their atmospheric and environmental impacts. The position is funded for 36 months (extendable by up to 12 months) and includes a competitive salary, allowances, and additional funding for technical training and participation in conferences.
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.
For more information regarding this position, please contact Karin Treyer at karin.treyer@psi.ch.
Paul Scherrer Institute, Human Resources Management, Mariusz Prus, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Location : Villigen PSI
Country : Switzerland