PhD positions in Climate Dynamics in Zürich

The newly formed Climate Dynamics group at ETH Zurich, led by Prof. Robert Jnglin Wills, seeks 2 PhD students to investigate future changes in the large-scale circulation of the atmosphere, the role of ocean-atmosphere coupling in climate variability and change, and/or the influence of the atmospheric circulation on regional climate change and extreme weather.

Using a combination of climate modeling, physics-based theoretical understanding, and data science methods, our group pursues research on a broad range of topics in climate science such as: (i) patterns of sea-surface temperature response to forcing on various timescales and their influence on the atmospheric circulation, (ii) the role of mesoscale (storm-scale) processes in the atmospheric response to anomalous surface conditions, (iii) mechanisms and predictability of earth system variability on interannual and longer timescales, and (iv) persistent atmospheric circulation anomalies and their role in extreme weather. These research topics are all part of broader mission to understand how global climate change manifests at the regional scale, in order to better contextualize extreme weather events in the modern climate and help society prepare for regional climate trends in the coming decades.

As a PhD student in the Climate Dynamics group, you will work collaboratively over 3+ years to define the main research direction of your PhD thesis. We have project ideas on topics such as persistent atmospheric circulation regimes and their role in extreme weather, storm-resolving climate modeling, the ocean’s role in climate variability and change, tropical climate change, and statistical and machine learning methods to identify the pattern of climate response to forcing, however, you are encouraged to bring your own expertise and pursue research in areas outside of but complimentary to these topics.

You have strong background in physics, math, and/or statistics, some specialized knowledge in one or more components of the coupled climate system (especially the atmosphere or ocean), and an intellectual curiosity about the many interdisciplinary aspects of climate science.

This position is fully funded for up to 4 years.

• Master’s degree in atmospheric science, oceanography, earth/environmental sciences, physics, applied mathematics, or a related field.
• Strong background in physics, math, and/or statistics.
• Programming experience is preferred.
• Intellectual curiosity about the many interdisciplinary aspects of climate science.
• Ability to pursue research independently and as part of a team.
• Very good spoken and written English language skills for communication within the group and for the presentation of scientific results at international conferences and in written papers.

• ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. You can look forward to a competitive salary (), an exciting working environment, cultural diversity, and attractive offers and benefits ().
• The Climate Dynamics group offers personalized mentoring, a stimulating research group environment embedded within a large climate science research institute (), an international network of collaborators, and full funding of research costs (computing, conference travel, publication costs)