Doctoral student – mycelium for faecal sludge degradation

at  ETH Zrich

JOB DESCRIPTION

Recently, mycelium has been embraced as a low-cost, highly adaptable, degradable material for a variety of applications. However, in the context of sanitation, little work has addressed the possibilities of using mycelium as a treatment technology. By testing different strains, growing conditions, and product configurations, we aim to develop low-cost mycelium-based materials that can accelerate sludge degradation, extend the life of latrines, and/or reduce the need for offsite treatment. Unlike other GHE positions, this work will be primarily based in the laboratory at ETH Zurich with limited travel.

YOUR PROFILE

We are looking for a candidate who is as committed to scientific discovery as they are to sanitation. The ideal candidate has:

• Experience with growing/engineering mycelium and mycelium-based products
• A Master’s degree in bioengineering/biology or the equivalent
• Strong analytical and laboratory skills
• A curious mind, a positive attitude, a love of research
• Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills: you can make a new plan when something goes wrong
• Competency in using a programming language (R, Python, Julia, JavaScript) for data cleaning, analysis, and visualisation is a plus but is not required

Please refer the Job description for details