PhD position - Improving the Weather Situation Awareness of Pilots in Zürich

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

The Institute of Cartography and Geoinformation is looking for a highly motivated doctoral candidate at the , starting mid-2021.

The project “The Expanded Flight Deck – Improving the Weather Situation Awareness of Pilots (EFDISA)” aims at improving contemporary pre-flight and in-flight representations of weather data for pilots. This will allow pilots to better perceive, understand, and anticipate meteorological hazards. The project is funded by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation and will be done in close collaboration with industry partners and professional pilots (Swiss International Air Lines & Lufthansa Systems).

The main objective of this PhD position is the development and evaluation of a novel pre- and in-flight system to represent the weather situation for pilots. This system will improve pilots’ situation awareness and allow them to make decisions on flight route changes more efficiently and effectively. The research will be linked to current topics and projects within and supervised by Prof. Dr. Martin Raubal (Chair of Geoinformation Engineering). The position also includes teaching responsibilities (20%) in courses offered by the Chair of Geoinformation Engineering.

The ideal candidate must have an academic degree in Geomatics, Computer Science, Information Science, or related fields, as well as a strong research interest in interactive 3D visualizations and human-computer interaction. Knowledge of GIS and strong programming skills are required (e.g., Java, Python or C++). We expect the candidate to either have a background in, or be eager to acquaint herself with the aviation domain. Background and experience in user studies, eye tracking or related topics is a significant plus. The candidate must have good communication skills in both English and German (oral and writing), be team-oriented and willing to work in an international environment.

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising 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.