PhD in Food Waste Supply Chains – Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, Food Systems at ETH Zürich ETH Zürich in Switzerland

PhD Opportunity in Food Waste Supply Chains at ETH Zürich

ETH Zürich is offering a fully funded 4-year PhD position in the field of food waste supply chains, with a focus on agricultural economics, development economics, and food systems. The successful candidate will join the FLOWERS project (Facilitating Local Organic Waste Exchange for Regenerative Systems), which aims to address urban food waste management and circular supply chains in Uganda and Malawi. The project is a collaboration between ETH Zürich, Eawag (Switzerland), Makerere University (Uganda), and NGOs in Malawi.

Research Focus: The FLOWERS project seeks to map food waste flows, identify barriers, and co-design scalable interventions such as composting, Black Soldier Fly farming, or anaerobic digestion. The research combines quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with supply chain actors, including restaurants, traders, and farmers. The project will generate comparative evidence on barriers and enablers across different systems in Uganda and Malawi, aiming to develop scalable, locally appropriate solutions for sustainable food systems.

Supervision: The PhD student will be jointly supervised by Prof. Eva-Marie Meemken (Food Systems Economics and Policy group) and Prof. Elizabeth Tilley (Global Health Engineering group) at ETH Zürich.

Responsibilities: The candidate will develop a doctoral research proposal, plan and implement data collection (surveys, interviews, interventions), analyze data, and disseminate results through scientific publications, conferences, and outreach activities. The position involves several months of fieldwork in Uganda and offers opportunities to strengthen skills in project management, data analysis, and academic communication.

Eligibility: Applicants must have (or be close to completing) an MSc in development economics, agricultural economics, or a related field. Experience with survey data collection, skills in statistics and econometrics, and familiarity with data analysis software are required. Excellent English proficiency (written and spoken) is essential. The ability to work both independently and collaboratively is expected.

Funding: The position is fully funded for 4 years, with salary and social benefits according to ETH Zürich rules. The research environment is international and interdisciplinary, providing hands-on experience with field interventions in Africa.

Application Process: Applications must include a CV (max 2 pages), diplomas, a copy of the MSc thesis (or term paper) and a 1-page summary, and contact details for 2 scientific references. Applications are accepted exclusively via the ETH Zürich online portal. The deadline is February 27, 2026. For questions, contact Prof. Eva-Marie Meemken ([email protected]) or Prof. Elizabeth Tilley ([email protected]).

Keywords: food waste, supply chains, agricultural economics, development economics, food systems, circular economy, waste management, Uganda, Malawi, survey data, econometrics.