PhD position – Source tracking for bioaerosol
ETH Zürich invites applications for a PhD position in the Air Quality and Particle Technology group, supervised by Prof. Dr. Jing Wang, within the Institute of Environmental Engineering. The research focuses on source tracking for bioaerosol, including the development of experimental and modeling techniques to identify emission sources, simulate airborne transport, analyze genomics data, and study the fate and impact of bioaerosols. Bioaerosols, such as airborne bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their fragments, pose evolving risks to human health, including the spread of antibiotic and metal resistance genes.
The project leverages metagenomics, bioinformatics, air quality simulation models, and source tracking tools to achieve its goals. The Air Quality and Particle Technology group is actively developing technologies for bioaerosol sampling and detection, as well as high-resolution air quality models, providing a robust platform for the PhD candidate.
The successful candidate will engage in tasks such as collecting air samples, applying microbiological methods (qPCR, sequencing) to identify and quantify bioaerosols, employing data analysis and bioinformatics to extract bioaerosol characteristics, using source tracking tools to identify sources and quantify contributions, and applying air quality models to investigate transport, fate, and impact of bioaerosols.
ETH Zürich values diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, offering a supportive environment with numerous benefits such as public transport season tickets, car sharing, sports facilities, childcare, and attractive pension benefits. The university is committed to equality of opportunity and a climate-neutral future.
Applicants should have a master's degree in environmental engineering, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, or related fields with excellent grades, strong modeling skills, and good command of English. Required application documents include a CV, academic transcripts, diplomas/certificates, contact information for 2-3 referees, and a short description of research interests. Applications must be submitted online via the ETH Zürich portal; email or postal submissions will not be considered.
The position is expected to start in September 2026 or upon agreement. For further information, contact Prof. Wang at [email protected]. ETH Zürich is a world-leading university in science and technology, renowned for its education, research, and societal impact.