PhD position at ETH Zürich (Switzerland)

Key details

• Host institution: ETH Zürich
• Location: ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, Zurich, Switzerland
• Application deadline: July 12, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Apply by email to [email protected] (subject line and attachments per the official instructions).
• Full vacancy text and updates: Euraxess listing.

About the position

This doctoral student position is part of the project “PhenoMix: Multidimensional field phenotyping of crop mixtures”, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. The position is hosted by the Crop Science group, a vibrant and interdisciplinary working group in the Institute of Agricultural Sciences at the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. Our group’s phenotyping research focuses on the development of methods and models to determine traits of relevance for crop breeding and variety testing.

Project Background

PhenoMix is a joint project of four research groups at ETH Zurich, the Swiss Data Science Center, and Agroscope. The overall objective of PhenoMix is to test the hypothesis that current high-throughput field phenotyping (HTFP) technology, in combination with plant physiological assessments and data science, can provide a breakthrough to determine genotypes that can be successfully combined in agroecologically beneficial legume-cereal mixtures. Different varieties of pea and lentil, as well as wheat, oats, and barley, will be grown under our field phenotyping platform FIP (FIP – Crop Science | ETH Zurich), on a neighboring experimental field, and on farmers’ fields. PhenoMix Work Packages address phenotyping, plant ecophysiology, data science, and agro-economic assessments, with four doctoral students, two postdocs, and several technicians assigned to those work packages. The Crop Phenotyping doctoral student will contribute to collecting HTFP data, improving phenotyping workflows, and developing a field robot for lean phenotyping.

Job Description

This doctoral project will form an important cornerstone in the mosaic of the entire project, with specific tasks depending on skills, interests, and alignment with at least two postdoctoral projects for which recruiting is also ongoing. Overall tasks of the project include:

• Collection of HTFP data from various phenotyping devices such as the FIP (multi-view RGB imaging), drones, handheld, and manual devices
• Contribution to the design and/or establishment of a phenotyping robot that can acquire data from RGB cameras and potentially other sensors
• Improving phenotyping workflows and models to extract traits such as canopy height, canopy cover, tillering, reflectance, senescence, or growth dynamics from this data
• Performing statistical analyses, including AI-based approaches
• Presentation of results at national and international events and publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Assistance in plot establishment, maintenance, and harvest across all Work Packages of PhenoMix

Profile

• A Master’s degree in agricultural, data, or engineering sciences, or a closely related field
• Experience with fieldwork
• Good statistical skills
• Programming experience (e.g., in R or Python)
• Good standard of written and spoken English
• Good writing skills
• Driver’s license
• Ability to work in a team with an interdisciplinary background
• Experience in crop phenotyping and good oral communication skills in German are beneficial

We Offer

Your job with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development but also actively contributes to positive change in society. You can expect numerous benefits, such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ, childcare, and attractive pension benefits.

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.

Application

Curious? So are we. We look forward to receiving your online application by 15 May 2026 with the following documents:

• Letter of motivation (max. two pages) describing your background, motivation, and qualifications
• CV
• Bachelor’s and Master’s certificates with complete transcripts
• A link to your MSc thesis (draft or final version)
• Contact information of two referees

The desired starting date is 1 August 2026. We will start interviewing candidates by mid-May 2026. This full-time position is funded for four years. Salary and social benefits are provided according to ETH Zurich rules.

For further information about the Crop Science group and PhenoMix, please visit the respective websites. Questions regarding the position can be directed to Prof. Dr. Achim Walter ([email protected]).

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 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 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.