Alex Widmer

This fully funded PhD position at ETH Zürich offers an exciting opportunity to join the new Epigenome Diversity Lab, led by Dr. Thanvi Srikant, within the Plant Ecological Genetics (PEG) group at the Institute of Integrative Biology. The PEG group, under the leadership of Prof. Alex Widmer, is renowned for its research in plant ecology, genetics, and evolution, with a strong focus on biodiversity in plants and fungi. The group fosters a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment, engaging in projects ranging from altitude adaptation genomics to plant physiology and genetic diversity monitoring. The successful candidate will work on the project "Functional epigenomics of high-altitude adaptation in Arabis alpina," starting between August 1st and October 1st, 2026. Arabis alpina, a plant species thriving in the Swiss Alps across a wide range of altitudes, serves as a model for studying how plants adapt to challenging environments such as reduced atmospheric pressure, low temperatures, increased radiation, and prolonged snow coverage. The research will focus on characterizing genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic variation in natural populations, investigating associations between epigenome features and local environments, and assessing the stability of these features across different growth conditions and generations. Technical skills to be developed include field sampling, plant propagation, molecular biology experiments, sequencing library preparation, and bioinformatic analysis of sequencing datasets. The student will also gain experience in project development, critical thinking, manuscript writing, and presenting research at conferences. The lab provides access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the Genetic Diversity Centre and plant growth chambers at the ETH Research Station for Plant Science. ETH Zürich is committed to diversity, sustainability, and academic excellence, offering a supportive environment for personal and professional growth. The PhD program at the Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS) typically lasts three to four years and includes research, study, and limited teaching duties. The position is fully funded until the completion of the PhD thesis, with funding provided by the Swiss National Science Foundation's Ambizione Fellowship. Applicants should have a background in Plant Biology or General Biology, fluency in English, experience with bioinformatics (genomics data analysis using R, bash, or python), molecular biology experiments, and good organisational skills. The application requires a CV (with referees), copies of Bachelor's and Master's degree certificates, and a short motivation letter (max 1 page) detailing relevant experience. Applications must be submitted online via the ETH Zürich portal by January 31st, 2026. For questions, contact Dr. Thanvi Srikant at [email protected]. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online or in-person meeting with the supervisors, and the selected PhD candidate will be informed by March 1st, 2026. ETH Zürich is one of the world’s leading universities in science and technology, offering a vibrant international community and a commitment to solving global challenges.