2 PhD Positions in Environmental Organic Chemistry

Applications are invited for two PhD positions in the Environmental Chemistry group at ETH Zurich, supervised by Prof. Kristopher McNeill and Dr. Juliana Laszakovits. The two closely related projects are laboratory research-based, focused on the role of photochemistry in elemental cycling with the goal of determining the detailed photochemical mechanisms involved.

Photochemical transformations play an important role in altering natural organic matter in aquatic systems. These projects are focused on the study of photoexcited natural organic matter and other reactive oxidants that are formed in essentially all waters exposed to sunlight. Photoexcited natural organic matter and the other photochemically generated oxidants are responsible for oxidizing sulfur-containing compounds and oxidizing organic carbon to biolabile compounds and inorganic carbon. 

These projects will examine the role of photochemically formed reactive oxidants on the sulfur and carbon cycles in freshwater systems. The reactivity and transformation of organic sulfur and organic carbon model compounds as well as in complex natural organic matter mixtures with different oxidants will be elucidated. The biological availability of the photoproducts will be assessed through incubation experiments with microbial communities from Swiss lakes and coupled with metagenomic and transcriptomic analyses (in collaboration with the Environmental Microbiology Group, led by Prof. Marie Schölmerich). The results are expected to improve our fundamental understanding of elemental cycling and inform large-scale modelling efforts.

The doctoral students will develop skills in photochemistry, chemical kinetics, chemical analysis, and sequence analysis. In addition, the students will have opportunities to develop their skills in scientific communication through presentations at conferences and writing scientific papers as well as in management by co-supervising bachelor and master theses. The projects will be supervised by Prof. Kristopher McNeill and Dr. Juliana Laszakovits. Both projects are fully funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

The ideal candidates will have experience in environmental organic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and/or physical chemistry. Experience in microbiology (especially environmental microbiology or metagenomics) is desired, but not necessary. Good knowledge of English (spoken and written) is essential. Applicants should hold a MSc degree (or equivalent) in chemistry, microbiology, environmental science, or a related discipline.

In addition, ETH Zurich seeks employees with key social and leadership competencies:

• Acting responsibly - acting with integrity; reflecting on and improving one's own behavior; serving Swiss society and society as a whole; integrating sustainability into daily actions
• Driving innovation - being courageous, open and curious; being flexible and adaptable to change; questioning the status-quo; exploring new ideas, solutions and technologies
• Building bridges - showing appreciation and respect; being authentic and empathetic; communicating effectively; seeking opportunities to collaborate
• Nurturing well-being - being mindful of one's own well-being; being attentive to the well-being of others; managing one's own resources sustainably; maintaining a healthy work-life balance
• Living inclusivity - reflecting on one's own biases, assumptions, and stereotypes; treating all people equitably; standing up to disrespectful and non-inclusive behavior; informing oneself on diversity and inclusion topics
• Enabling people - coaching others to find their own solutions; understanding feedback as an opportunity to develop potential; providing constructive feedback with an attitude of appreciation; contributing to a culture in which failures are dealt with constructively

Employment will be according to standard regulations at ETH (funding secured for 4 years). We plan to accept the top two candidates and match them with the project most suited to their interests and skillsets. The projected start date is January 2025 but can be earlier or later upon mutual agreement.

The Environmental Chemistry group is headed by Prof. Kristopher McNeill and conducts research on the fate of organic compounds, both anthropogenic and naturally occurring, in the environment. The group is composed of researchers from around the world and offers a friendly and supportive environment, with English as our working language. The group is located at ETH’s central campus with access to high quality laboratory facilities. The PhD students will be exposed to a range of topics including photochemistry in surface waters, fate of biomacromolecules in aquatic systems, and global-scale modelling of anthropogenic pollutants through our weekly group meetings and other environmental topics through the Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics seminar series. Additionally, the students will be supported through regular one-on-one meetings with their supervisor as well as weekly subgroup meetings to informally present and discuss their results with other PhD students and postdocs.