Postdoctoral position – Modelling of biogeochemical nitrogen cycling in Swiss land ecosystems in Zürich

The at ETH Zurich and the at ETH Zurich/Eawag are jointly looking for a highly motivated Postdoc for a project on Nitrogen (N) cycling in the biosphere (soil, water, atmosphere) at the scale of Switzerland. The Sustainable Agroecosystem group focuses on the feedbacks between agroecosystem management options, biogeochemical cycling, food system functioning and global change, and the Inorganic Environmental Geochemistry group investigates biogeochemical cycling of elements across environmental compartments, including soils, aqueous systems and the atmosphere, with focus on health-relevant trace elements.

The inevitable decarbonization of energy production will increase atmospheric concentrations of reactive N species like NOx and ammonia (NH3) due to the transition from fossil fuels to the production and combustion of biofuels and biomass. This increase will lead to major issues for climate, air quality, ecosystems and human health. So far, the impact of the energy transition on the complex N cycle in the connected atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic environments is not fully understood and very poorly quantified. The project , a joint initiative of the ETH domain, aims to achieve a holistic understanding and quantification of N fluxes across and within these environmental compartments at the scale of Switzerland and to predict the impacts of the energy transition on these fluxes.

The project is specifically aimed at mechanistically modeling processes of N cycling and N fluxes between groundwater, soils, plants and atmosphere in different ecosystems in Switzerland.

• You will develop a comprehensive N cycle modelling framework for grassland, agricultural and forest systems in Switzerland;
• You will collect and process observational data sets from various sources for model evaluation;
• You will develop and test scenarios for conventional and alternative land management practices for project synthesis and decision support;
• You will predict N fluxes to the atmosphere and nitrate losses to groundwater under future scenarios of energy policy, climate change and agricultural strategies;
• You will write scientific publications and reports.

• PhD in environmental sciences, soil science, geosciences or similar;
• Excellent academic track record. You have a strong background in mechanistic modelling of environmental systems and high-level programming skills (e.g., Fortran, R, Python). Experience with biogeochemical models like “DayCent”, “DNDC”, or “ecosys” are a plus;
• Highly motivated and self-organized;
• You will be expected to help us maintain a positive team dynamic and a welcoming work environment;
• You should be able to combine strong individual research with teamwork within the project. You should be open-minded towards research across disciplines, including field work;
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbally and written. Knowledge of German and/or French is welcome.

You will work in a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art computational infrastructure and measurement facilities. The position provides the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary team from several institutions, allowing for a broadening of perspectives and networks. We offer at ETH Zurich as well as other attractive working conditions. The envisaged starting date is 1 Sep 2023. The position is limited to 24 months, with the possibility of a 12-month extension.