Doctoral Candidate (PhD) in Biodiversity Policy and Response Diversity — Universität Zürich
CHF 91'500 - 128'000
Universität Zürich · Zurich (ZH)
- Location
- Zurich
- Contract
- full-time
- Posted
- 15 days ago
SalaryCHF 91'500 - 128'000
Role overview
Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
Start of employment 01.02.2027
Response diversity describes the variation in how individuals, species, or functional groups respond to environmental change and the concept is increasingly recognized as a key driver of ecosystem resilience.
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
- Start of employment 01.02.2027
- Your responsibilities
- Review and synthesise response diversity research relevant to EU biodiversity policy needs, especially restoration, deforestation, and corporate biodiversity reporting.
- A Master's degree, or equivalent, in ecology, environmental science, geography, sustainability science, environmental policy, biodiversity governance, computational social science, data science, or a closely related field.
- Strong interest in biodiversity policy, ecosystem resilience, restoration, sustainability reporting, and the translation of ecological science into decision-making.
Main responsibilities
- Your responsibilities
- Review and synthesise response diversity research relevant to EU biodiversity policy needs, especially restoration, deforestation, and corporate biodiversity reporting.
Key requirements
- A Master's degree, or equivalent, in ecology, environmental science, geography, sustainability science, environmental policy, biodiversity governance, computational social science, data science, or a closely related field.
- Strong interest in biodiversity policy, ecosystem resilience, restoration, sustainability reporting, and the translation of ecological science into decision-making.
- Experience with literature synthesis, policy analysis, quantitative text analysis, network analysis, statistical modelling, or programming, preferably in R, Python, or comparable tools.
- Interest in AI-assisted analysis methods, science-policy interfaces, indicator development, monitoring frameworks, and EU environmental governance.
- Ability to work independently while contributing constructively to an international, interdisciplinary doctoral network.
- Excellent written and spoken English and strong scientific writing skills.
- Experience with EU biodiversity or sustainability policy, environmental assessment, corporate sustainability reporting, natural capital frameworks, stakeholder engagement, or open-science workflows is an advantage. MSCA Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must meet the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network eligibility requirements at the recruitment date:
- Applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree.
- Applicants must be doctoral candidates and be enrolled, or eligible to be enrolled, in a doctoral programme at the University of Zurich.
- Applicants must work full-time and exclusively for the ReDiLEEP project during the appointment, in accordance with the applicable MSCA and UZH rules.
- Mobility rule: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in Switzerland for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date.
What the company offers
- Our employees benefit from a wide range of attractive offers.
- The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary cohort of doctoral researchers and benefit from ReDiLEEP training in response diversity methods, data management, reproducible code, R/Tidyverse, machine learning and AI for ecologists, visualisation, evidence-based policymaking, science-policy communication, and policy brief writing.
Application process
- Exceptions to the mobility rule apply for compulsory national service, refugee status, and temporary protection. Employment Conditions
- The University of Zurich invites applications for a Doctoral Candidate position in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network ReDiLEEP .
- ReDiLEEP brings together leading universities, research institutes, and non-academic partners across Europe and beyond to advance response diversity research and translate new knowledge into ecosystem management, restoration, and biodiversity policy.
- The Doctoral Candidate will contribute to this effort by investigating how response diversity is represented in European biodiversity, restoration, and sustainability policy, focusing on the development of policy-ready indicators through AI-assisted text analysis and network analysis. Research Project DC11
- EU policy and legislation frequently reference biodiversity and resilience, yet major gaps remain regarding the mechanistic basis of resilience, particularly RD.
- Current policy instruments, including the EU Nature Restoration Law, Common Agricultural Policy, and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, lack clear RD metrics, quantitative targets, and monitoring requirements.
- DC11 will bridge science and policymaking by analysing how RD research can inform, and be informed by, European biodiversity and sustainability policies.
- Using AI-assisted text and network analysis, the doctoral researcher will identify conceptual alignments and mismatches between RD science and policy frameworks for biodiversity, restoration, and resilience.
Additional details
- The Doctoral Candidate will contribute to this effort by investigating how response diversity is represented in European biodiversity, restoration, and sustainability policy, focusing on the development of policy-ready indicators through AI-assisted text analysis and network analysis. Research Project DC11
- The project aims to guide the development of policy-ready, measurable indicators that capture RD as a mechanism underpinning ecological stability and policy effectiveness.
- Apply AI-assisted text analysis and network analysis to scientific literature, policy documents, and decision-making frameworks.
- Participate actively in ReDiLEEP network training, secondments, dissemination, reporting, and cohort activities. Secondments and Network Training
- Experience with EU biodiversity or sustainability policy, environmental assessment, corporate sustainability reporting, natural capital frameworks, stakeholder engagement, or open-science workflows is an advantage. MSCA Eligibility Criteria
- Exceptions to the mobility rule apply for compulsory national service, refugee status, and temporary protection. Employment Conditions
- The appointment is subject to final MSCA eligibility verification, doctoral programme enrolment, and completion of UZH administrative onboarding.
- Find out more: https://www.uzh.ch/de/explore/work.html.
- Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH Learning and Development
- Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich
Notes and original content
- The Doctoral Candidate will contribute to this effort by investigating how response diversity is represented in European biodiversity, restoration, and sustainability policy, focusing on the development of policy-ready indicators through AI-assisted text analysis and network analysis.
- Research Project DC11
- What We Offer
- Participate actively in ReDiLEEP network training, secondments, dissemination, reporting, and cohort activities.
- Secondments and Network Training
- Your profile
- Experience with EU biodiversity or sustainability policy, environmental assessment, corporate sustainability reporting, natural capital frameworks, stakeholder engagement, or open-science workflows is an advantage.
- MSCA Eligibility Criteria
- Exceptions to the mobility rule apply for compulsory national service, refugee status, and temporary protection.
- Employment Conditions
Questions about this listing
What salary does Universität Zürich offer for this role?
Universität Zürich lists CHF 91'500 - 128'000 gross per year for this position in Zurich. This is the salary published in the original listing (or, when the employer omits a figure, a realistic estimate for the role and sector) — the calculator on this site converts it to your actual net take-home once cross-border tax and social contributions are applied.
Is this a full-time role, and what type of contract does Universität Zürich offer?
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Do I need a cross-border work permit for a role in Zürich?
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