Ph.D. position in Experimental Soil Hydrogeochemistry

The University of Lausanne’s Faculty of Geoscience and the Environment is offering a Ph.D. position in Experimental Soil Hydrogeochemistry within its Hydrology group. The research forms part of the four‑year DrySpell collaboration that links Unil with the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign to study how vegetation stress influences river chemistry across watersheds. The candidate will spend most of the time planning and executing novel experiments in the Unil Ecotron, a climate‑controlled facility equipped with roughly eighty sensors. Responsibilities include running the sensor network, collecting soil, water and plant samples, performing tracer tests and hydrogeochemical modelling, and publishing results in peer‑reviewed journals. The role also involves presenting at international meetings in Lausanne and Paris, a brief field campaign each year at the Critical Zone Observatory of Mt Lozère, and supporting teaching activities for about one‑fifth of the contract. An open, reproducible workflow and active contribution to a collaborative, inclusive lab culture are expected. Applicants must hold a master’s degree in a field such as environmental science, soil science, biogeochemistry, experimental ecology, hydrology or civil/environmental engineering, and have hands‑on experience with sensor deployment, field sampling or laboratory analysis. Strong quantitative abilities and proficiency in R or Python are required, as are solid written and spoken English skills; French knowledge is advantageous but not mandatory. The position is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, and provides a salary of €55 000 per year, full‑time employment, five weeks of paid vacation, parental leave and a supportive institute environment that includes shared office space, funded research equipment, travel support, retreats and access to extensive laboratory facilities. Applications are accepted through the Success Factor platform until the role is filled, with a final deadline of 30 September 2026.