PhD position in Sustainable Biogenic Carbon Pathways

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

The Ecological Systems Design Group at ETH Zürich is an internationally leading research group in the field of modeling and improving the resource efficiency and environmental performance of products and processes from a systems perspective. We are inviting applications to fill a PhD position in “Sustainable Biogenic Carbon Pathways”.

Project background

This PhD position is contributing to several projects in the field of sustainable biomass utilization for energy and negative emission potential. The primary aim is to e.g. evaluate the potential of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) from Swiss biogas plants. Additionally, the PhD project will explore innovative pathways and technologies for enhancing the sustainability of biogenic carbon value chains, focusing on their environmental impacts.

Job description

The work will be carried out in an interdisciplinary team at the Ecological Systems Design Group (ETHZ-ESD). The goal is to quantify and evaluate the environmental impacts of novel biogenic carbon value chains. A key aspect is assessing the potential of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) in biogas plants across Switzerland, including those in agricultural, industrial, and wastewater treatment sectors. The project involves the following tasks, among others:

• Assess the current potential for CO₂ capture from biogas plants (agricultural, industrial and wastewater treatment plants) in Switzerland. Develop scenarios (e.g. based on manure-to-energy pathways) to evaluate future potential and visualize the data in a GIS map.
• Evaluate the technical feasibility of capturing and utilizing CO₂ from biogas plants. This includes assessing the size and distribution of sources and defining technical criteria for CO₂ capture.
• Evaluate the environmental impact (CO₂-equivalent emission balance) of various CO₂ capture and utilization strategies.
• Investigate various utilization pathways for biogenic CO₂ from biogas plants, considering both current systems and prospective scenarios. Evaluate emerging CO₂ utilization technologies and their integration into the existing infrastructure.

There is also room for expanding the research focus. Collaboration with industry stakeholders and academic experts will be essential for validating your models and ensuring the applicability of your findings. An integral part of your work is publishing your results in peer-reviewed journals and presenting them at international conferences.

Profile

Your qualifications should include:

• A master-level university degree in environmental engineering, environmental sciences, or similar studies with excellent grades.
• Skills in GIS and programming would be of benefit.
• Knowledge and experience in the topics of life cycle assessment and biomass utilization would be beneficial but are not required.
• Knowledge of German or French would be advantageous.

Your employment will be contracted according to standard regulations at ETH. The project will start in March 2025 or upon mutual agreement. You are expected to contribute to the teaching and research activities up to a maximum of 20% of your working time.

Workplace

Workplace

We offer

• Your career with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society.
• We are actively committed to a sustainable and climate-neutral university.
• You can expect numerous benefits, such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ, childcare and attractive pension benefits.

We value diversity

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish.

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application including:

• a letter of motivation,
• a CV
• academic transcripts (including a list of courses completed or ongoing, including grades and, if available, ranking)
• contact details of two referees

We will start interviewing candidates as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

For further information about the Ecological Systems Design Group, please visit our website: Chair of Ecological Systems Design. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Vanessa Burg vaburg@ethz.ch (please put cc hellweg@ifu.baug.ethz.ch and dold@ifu.baug.ethz.ch) (no applications).