PhD in Land Use Modeling – ETH Zürich

Key details

• Host institution: ETH Zürich
• Location: ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, Zurich, Switzerland
• Application deadline: August 20, 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

The Chair for Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems (PLUS) at the Institute for Spatial and Landscape Planning, ETH Zurich, is seeking a PhD candidate in land use modeling. This is a 4-year, full-time position funded by the NCCR CLIM+ program (Climate Extremes and Society) of the Swiss National Science Foundation, starting in September 2026 or by mutual agreement.

Project Background

The PhD will be carried out in collaboration with WSL, Agroscope, and ETH Zurich. The project focuses on further developing and applying the land use model evoland-plus (a pattern-based model coupled with WASIM and FORCLIM) to forecast changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services under socio-economic and climate scenarios. The candidate will use statistical and process-based approaches to represent hydrology, forest dynamics, and agricultural production, and contribute to robust storylines of plausible futures that include extreme climate outcomes. Results will be translated into policy guidance reports.

Your Profile

• MSc degree in Land System Science, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Agricultural Science, or a related discipline
• Deep understanding of social-ecological systems
• Experience in programming and very good GIS skills
• Ideal: experience with ecosystem services modeling, forest dynamic modeling, hydrological modeling, or species distribution modeling
• Interest in working at the interfaces of these topics
• Good command of English (written and spoken); German or French is an advantage
• Willingness to communicate and work in a large interdisciplinary project

We Offer

• A stimulating, interdisciplinary research environment in a dynamic, international team
• Close collaboration with leading experts in social-ecological systems, computational text analysis, and well-being research
• Excellent working conditions at ETH Zurich, one of the world’s leading universities
• Opportunities for academic development, publication, and international networking
• Salary and social benefits according to ETH Zurich rules

Application

Please submit your online application by June 30, 2026, including: curriculum vitae, complete academic transcript (undergraduate and graduate), copies of diplomas/certificates, contact information for 2–3 referees, and a short description of your motivation and research interests. Applications are accepted only through the online portal; email or postal submissions will not be considered. Interviews are planned online on July 10, 2026, and at ETH Zurich in the week of July 13, 2026.

For urgent matters, contact Adrienne Grêt-Regamey at [email protected]. Pre-selection is carried out by recruiters, not by artificial intelligence.