4yr PhD - Forest Management and Economics

at  ETH Zrich

JOB DESCRIPTION

As a valued member of our group, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with leading experts and be the main contributor to an innovative project with real-world impact. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Work closely with inspiring researchers to explore economic theories and their cutting-edge applications in the valuation and mapping of forest ecosystem services.
• Develop your skills in spatial data analysis and statistics while working with diverse datasets to uncover important biophysical and socio-economic patterns.
• Be part of interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers from various fields, exchanging ideas and collecting data to bring your project to life.
• Gain a fresh perspective on forest growth and management, delving into the socio-economic dimensions that drive desirable solutions.
• Dive into advanced simulation modeling and optimization techniques, with plenty of support to learn and innovate.
• Help develop new approaches for adapting forest management to climate and societal challenges.
• Share your discoveries with the world! You’ll publish your findings in high-impact journals and present your work at exciting national and international conferences.
• Enjoy an inclusive and supportive research environment, participating in a vibrant community of researchers and contributing to teaching activities that broaden your horizon.

PROFILE

We’re looking for enthusiastic individuals from diverse academic backgrounds who are excited about exploring forest management and forest ecosystem services (FES) through an interdisciplinary lens. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the experience yet—this position is about developing your skills, with access to exceptional training, resources, and mentorship along the way.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Academic Foundation: You’ve earned a Master’s degree (MSc) in forestry, environmental economics, environmental systems science, or a related field. If you’ve studied topics like environmental management, economics, operations research, or forestry during your coursework, you’re already on the right track!
• Programming Enthusiasm: You enjoy solving problems through coding and have some experience with R or Python for data analysis or modeling. If you’ve dabbled in GIS, that’s a bonus!
• Willingness to Learn: You’re excited to deepen your knowledge in areas such as forest economics, forest management, economic theory, spatial analysis, simulation modeling, and optimization techniques / operations research—no prior mastery required.
• Communication Skills: You can express your ideas effectively in English (written and spoken). While German is an advantage, it’s not essential.
• Creativity and Motivation: You’re a curious, self-motivated learner who enjoys challenges and trying out new ideas.
• Team Spirit: You enjoy working in a welcoming, diverse, and interdisciplinary group that thrives on collaboration.

Please refer the Job description for details