PhD Student 100% (f/m/d)

Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL; Davos; On-site; CHF 39,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos invites applications for a PhD Student 100% (f/m/d) in the Alpine Remote Sensing group. The project focuses on developing and testing new methodologies to study large deep-seated landslides in the Swiss Alps.

The student will collaborate with SUPSI and UPIP Cantonal Ticino, work mainly at SLF Davos with stays in Mendrisio, and contribute to field work, remote sensing analyses, and numerical modelling to inform hazard scenarios for

Qualifications

• Master's degree in engineering or natural sciences.
• Strong skills in mass movement investigations and remote sensing.
• Experience with satellite radar interferometry.
• Programming experience.
• Excellent English; Italian language is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and implement new methodologies to investigate large deep-seated landslides.
• Analyze landslide sites using field work, monitoring, remote sensing, and numerical modelling.
• Provide hazard scenario insights to cantonal authorities for protection of infrastructure and population.
• Work mainly at SLF Davos with periods at SUPSI Mendrisio and fieldwork in Ticino.

Skills

Mass movement analysis

Remote sensing

Field work

Large datasets

Programming

Radar interferometry

English proficiency

Italian language (asset)

Education

Master's degree in engineering or natural sciences

Job description

The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is part of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL and thus of the ETH Domain. WSL focuses on the sustainable use and protection of the environment and on the handling of natural hazards. WSL employs approximately 600 people, of whom 180 work at SLF in Davos.

PhD Student 100% (f/m/d)

For our research center "Climate Change, Extreme Events and Natural Hazards in the Alpine Region - CERC", which was founded as part of the SLF in Davos, we are seeking for the Alpine Remote Sensing group as of January 2027 a

As part of a research agreement between WSL/SLF and Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI), with the support of the UPIP Canton Ticino, the student will work on the development, test, and implementation of new methodologies to investigate large deep‑seated landslides in the Southern Swiss Alps. The focus will be on the analysis of two landslide sites, where a combination of field work, monitoring, remote sensing, and numerical modelling will be used to better understand mass movement spatial and temporal evolution. The results are expected to provide potential hazard scenarios and to help cantonal authorities to better define potential countermeasures for the protection of infrastructures and population,

The student will be mainly based at SLF in Davos, however, several periods of work in the SUPSI Campus in Mendrisio as well as field work in Canton Ticino are expected. The main supervisor of the PhD Thesis will be PD Dr. Andrea Manconi (ETH, D‑EAPS).

You have a master’s degree in engineering or natural sciences. You have excellent skills in mass movements investigation, remote sensing, field work, and on handling large data sets. You have previous experience in satellite radar interferometry and programming. You have a very good command of English and enjoy working independently. Italian language is an important asset due to the interaction with SUPSI and cantonal authorities in Ticino.

WSL aims to increase the proportion of women, so qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Flüelastrasse 11, CH-7260 Davos Dorf