PhD position on planning blue-green climate adaptations under deep uncertainty for urban water management 100 % (m/f/d)

Blue-green infrastructure (BGI) is a widely adopted approach to improve the climate resilience of urban areas. From an urban drainage perspective, this development transforms a centralised system into a hybrid system with many decentralised elements. This fundamental paradigm change lacks the scientific and practical tools to support such a transition. This project aims to develop such tools to change the current ad-hoc-based implementation into an evidence-based planning strategy considering deep uncertainty such as climate and land use change. The out-come aims to help operators set priorities, identify windows of opportunity, and implement a systematic transformation pathway. This project builds on previous work that developed a ‘Transitions Pathways Generator’ (TPG) to quantify the benefits of decentralised wastewater treatment. 

The specific tasks associated with the doctoral position involve 1) further developing the existing TPG for stormwater management, 2) creating and implementing a spatially explicit approach to identify the BGI potential in a city, 3) generating climate and land use scenarios to encompass deep uncertainty, and 4) developing transition strategies for application cases under uncertainty. 

The position is fully funded with a start date in Summer 2025. While this is a research-only position, a maximum of 10% time may be committed to teaching or supporting other activities within Eawag and ETH Zürich. You can find more information about a doctorate at ETH on the ethz.ch Website. 

Applicants are expected to have an MSc degree (e.g., Civil or Environmental Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics or Computer Science) with strong interest in hydroinformatics, hydrology, climate change and urban climate adaptation. Candidates should demonstrate good programming knowledge (Python) and statistical analysis. Fluency in spoken and written English is required, German or French would be very welcome. Experience with hydrological and/or hydrodynamic modelling is a strong asset. We are looking for highly motivated, committed, and creative individuals who can work in a team and have outstanding communication skills. The candidate will have a unique opportunity to develop their research abilities while working in a top-level research environment with advanced infrastructure.

As an ETH doctoral student you will be integrated into the extensive research infrastructure of the Urban Water Management Department at Eawag. We are an enthusiastic, flexible, and collaborative research environment with many opportunities for multi-disciplinary, cutting-edge research in environmental engineering. We offer access to state-of-the-art computing infrastructure, laboratories, and research equipment. There are also significant opportunities to broaden your research interests and develop your academic career. Presenting your research at international conferences, but also in-front of practitioners are part of your educational experience. 

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:

Questions regarding the position should be directed to Max Maurer by email (no applications). 

The deadline for applications is 21 April 2025 or until the position is filled. On-line interviews are scheduled for May, followed by interviews at ETHZ/Eawag. 

Eawag is a modern employer and offers an excellent working environment where staff can con-tribute their strengths, experience, and ways of thinking. We promote gender equality and are committed to staff diversity and inclusion. The compatibility of career and family is of central importance to us. For more information about Eawag and our work, conditions please consult www.eawag.ch and www.eawag.ch/en/aboutus/working/employment. 

We look forward to receiving your application. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered. Short-listed candidates will be asked to provide at least two recommendation letters. A click on the button below will take you directly to the application form.