Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, is an internationally networked aquatic research institute within the ETH Domain (Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology). Eawag conducts research, education and expert consulting to achieve the dual goals of meeting direct human needs for water and maintaining the function and integrity of aquatic ecosystems.
In a recently funded SNF project we propose to combine both comparative and experimental field studies in lakes of Southern Greenland to study how biotic and abiotic sources of natural selection can interactively shape species interactions during community assembly and impact the overall structure and functioning of lake ecosystems. Specifically, we will investigate the evolution of copepod populations in lakes with different abiotic (e.g., glacial vs non-glacial) and biotic (e.g., composition of fish predator communities) ecosystem properties, and the evolution of stickleback when they occur with and without species of Arctic char. We will also use an ongoing whole-lake manipulation to study how sticklebacks evolve following their release from predation by charrs, and how the establishment of these stickleback populations affects the evolution of copepods.
The overall goal of this project is to deepen our understanding about the interplay between (rapid) evolution and community assembly dynamics in lake ecosystems undergoing environmental change. This would involve studying the evolution of both threespine stickleback and diaptomus copepods, and how biotic and abiotic sources of selection affect evolution at different stages of community assembly in sub-arctic lakes.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a master’s degree in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Organismal Biology, or Environmental Science. In this integrative project we are looking for candidates who enjoy working in a collaborative and international environment and are interested in integrating and synthesising their work. We are planning three integrative PhD projects:
1. Evolutionary ecology of copepods - This PhD position will focus on the ecology and evolution of copepods studying phenotypic and genetic variation across lakes along a gradient of community assembly. Here we look for candidates with an interest in evolutionary ecology and/or molecular ecology. The project will include field work, lab raising of copepods, phenotyping of copepods, genomic work including molecular lab work and bioinformatics, and potentially evolutionary simulations.
2. Stickleback evolutionary genomics - This PhD position will investigate the adaptive capacity and genetic basis of evolvable traits in stickleback. Here we look for candidates with an interest in population and/or quantitative genetics. This project will include some field work and molecular lab work but will have a large genetic data analysis and bioinformatic component potentially including forward in-time genomic simulations.
3. Ecosystem ecology and evolution of stickleback - This PhD position will explore the causes and consequences of stickleback evolution in lakes of Southern Greenland. Here we look for candidates with an interest in evolutionary ecology and ecosystem sciences. The project will include field work surveying fish and invertebrate communities and quantifying lake ecosystem functioning, as well as lab work rearing and phenotyping stickleback.
The project is carried out by a consortium of researchers at Eawag and the University of Bern (Switzerland), as well as the Technical University of Zvolen (Slovakia) and the University of Edinburgh (UK). The successful candidates will be supervised by Dr Blake Matthews and/or Dr Philine Feulner, enrolled as doctoral students at the University of Bern, and co-supervised by either Prof. Catherine Peichel or Prof. Claudia Bank.
At Eawag, we have a working environment in which people with different experiences, strengths, and perspectives can fully contribute and further develop. Here, you can help us advance! We promote genuine participation, exchange, and mutual understanding. We create structures that enable the compatibility of work and other areas of life, such as care work, and continuously make efforts to reduce barriers.
Do you have specific requirements regarding the application process or the position, or do you need additional information? Talk to us about it — we will be happy to support you with possible flexible workplace, working hours, and job design solutions. For further information please visit our website about
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conditions of employment.
Deadline for applications is 31 October 2026 or until the position is filled. Applications should include a CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for pursuing a PhD program in general and for this integrative project specifically. Please indicate which positions you are interested in and your rationale. Also include a resume with names and contact information of two to three academic references. The project is funded by the Swiss National Science foundation and has a duration of four years. The position is available from 1 January 2027, or upon arrangement. The workplace and employment will be at Eawag (Kastanienbaum, Switzerland).
We look forward to receiving your application. Please send it through this webpage, any other way of applying will not be considered. A click on the relevant link below will take you directly to the application form.