The PHD is starting 1 October 2026 for 4 years.

You will work on the project “Darkening the Arctic: Bioalbedo Feedbacks from Snow and Ice Algae”. It combines in situ observations, satellite remote sensing, species distribution and Earth system modelling to predict current and future distributions of snow and glacial algae and quantify their effect on biological albedo reduction. The project is funded by the Swiss and US National Science Foundation and is a collaboration between the University of Zurich (Prof. Gabriela Schaepman-Strub) and the University of Colorado Boulder (Prof. Alia Khan), with international interdisciplinary partners.

Your position will start with in-situ, remote sensing data, and literature synthesis, and the support of planning an international workshop. You will then develop species distribution models and project future distributions under climate-change scenarios. In addition, you will contribute to the Earth system modelling part of the project. Depending on interests and project needs, there may be opportunities to contribute to Arctic fieldwork.

The position is suited for candidates with an MSc degree in ecology, environmental/earth system sciences, climate science, cryosphere science or a related field; ecological understanding is important, ideally on snow/ice microorganisms. We especially welcome applicants with experience in spatial data analysis, ecological modelling, machine learning, and programming. Experience with large geospatial datasets, HPC environments, remote sensing, climate data, or land-surface modelling is an advantage, but not required.

You should bring curiosity for interdisciplinary research, good quantitative skills, willingness to work with large and heterogeneous datasets, and interest in open and reproducible science. Good communication skills in English and organizational skills are required to facilitate collaboration. You will be part of an international and interdisciplinary team and will have opportunities for participation in workshops and conferences, and potential research visits in the US.

Your position will be hosted by our diverse research group at the University of Zurich (www.earthsystemscience.org, https://www.ieu.uzh.ch/en/research/ecology/spatial.html). We focus on Arctic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, specifically on biosphere-cryosphere-climate feedbacks. We use approaches ranging from field observations and remote sensing to large-scale data synthesis and process-based modelling. The PhD position will be embedded in this interdisciplinary environment and supervised by Prof. Gabriela Schaepman-Strub, supported by Dr. Johanna Malle and Dr. Elena Plekhanova.

The PhD position is fully funded for 4 years.

Working location is the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Please submit your application as a single pdf file, including a cover letter describing your research interests, relevant experience and motivation for the project, CV, and copies of university transcripts and degree certificates to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Review of applications will start on 15 August 2026. We look forward to your application!

For further information, please contact Dr. Elena Plekhanova (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).