Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
Doctoral Candidate (PhD) in Biodiversity Policy and Response Diversity 100 %
Start of employment 01.02.2027Response diversity describes the variation in how individuals, species, or functional groups respond to environmental change and the concept is increasingly recognized as a key driver of ecosystem resilience. Understanding and promoting response diversity is therefore essential for conserving biodiversity and supporting resilient ecosystems in a changing world.
The University of Zurich invites applications for a Doctoral Candidate position in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network ReDiLEEP . ReDiLEEP brings together leading universities, research institutes, and non-academic partners across Europe and beyond to advance response diversity research and translate new knowledge into ecosystem management, restoration, and biodiversity policy.
The Doctoral Candidate will contribute to this effort by investigating how response diversity is represented in European biodiversity, restoration, and sustainability policy, focusing on the development of policy-ready indicators through AI-assisted text analysis and network analysis.
Research Project DC11
EU policy and legislation frequently reference biodiversity and resilience, yet major gaps remain regarding the mechanistic basis of resilience, particularly RD. Current policy instruments, including the EU Nature Restoration Law, Common Agricultural Policy, and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, lack clear RD metrics, quantitative targets, and monitoring requirements.
DC11 will bridge science and policymaking by analysing how RD research can inform, and be informed by, European biodiversity and sustainability policies. Using AI-assisted text and network analysis, the doctoral researcher will identify conceptual alignments and mismatches between RD science and policy frameworks for biodiversity, restoration, and resilience. The project aims to guide the development of policy-ready, measurable indicators that capture RD as a mechanism underpinning ecological stability and policy effectiveness.
What We Offer
- A 48-month full-time doctoral position at the University of Zurich in an international MSCA Doctoral Network. 36-months funded by MCSA Doctoral Network; 12-months funded by University of Zurich.
- Supervision by Prof. Dr. Owen Petchey with co-supervision from Prof. Dr. Maria Santos, Dr Cornelia Krug, and Dr Ute Jacob.
- Access to UZH expertise in ecological stability, response diversity, landscape sustainability, human-environment interactions, data science, and the science-policy interface.
- Computational support through UZH ScienceIT and standard research infrastructure for literature synthesis, text analysis, network analysis, modelling, writing, and collaboration.
- International secondments with academic, industry, and NGO partners, plus network-wide training and mentoring.
- A position in a diverse team of international researchers, a friendly work environment, and access to state-of-the-art infrastructure.
- Relocation and integration support through the UZH EURAXESS Centre, including guidance on visas, residence permits, social security, and daily-life integration.
Your responsibilities
- Review and synthesise response diversity research relevant to EU biodiversity policy needs, especially restoration, deforestation, and corporate biodiversity reporting.
- Apply AI-assisted text analysis and network analysis to scientific literature, policy documents, and decision-making frameworks.
- Identify conceptual alignments, mismatches, and evidence gaps between RD science and European biodiversity, restoration, and sustainability policy.
- Analyse governance processes to determine where ecological resilience, system stability, and diversity mechanisms can strengthen conservation and restoration policy.
- Specify research needs for RD metrics and assessment methods that support biodiversity policy goals.
- Develop draft indicator sets and monitoring templates linking RD to ecosystem function, resilience, and sustainability goals.
- Produce peer-reviewed publications, policy-relevant outputs, and recommendations for embedding RD metrics in environmental assessments, reporting standards, and restoration funding guidelines.
- Participate actively in ReDiLEEP network training, secondments, dissemination, reporting, and cohort activities.
The position includes 4 months of planned secondments, with 2 months in non-academic settings, to strengthen the science-policy-practice interface:
- BioAgora: embedding in a BioAgora demonstration case (1 month, expected around project month 6).
- Swansea University: taking RD research from field to policy (1 month, expected around project month 12).
- CarU: linking RD monitoring and policy (1 month, expected around project month 18).
- Advanced Invasives: taking RD research from field to policy (1 month, expected around project month 24).
The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary cohort of doctoral researchers and benefit from ReDiLEEP training in response diversity methods, data management, reproducible code, R/Tidyverse, machine learning and AI for ecologists, visualisation, evidence-based policymaking, science-policy communication, and policy brief writing.
Your profile
- A Master's degree, or equivalent, in ecology, environmental science, geography, sustainability science, environmental policy, biodiversity governance, computational social science, data science, or a closely related field.
- Strong interest in biodiversity policy, ecosystem resilience, restoration, sustainability reporting, and the translation of ecological science into decision-making.
- Experience with literature synthesis, policy analysis, quantitative text analysis, network analysis, statistical modelling, or programming, preferably in R, Python, or comparable tools.
- Interest in AI-assisted analysis methods, science-policy interfaces, indicator development, monitoring frameworks, and EU environmental governance.
- Ability to work independently while contributing constructively to an international, interdisciplinary doctoral network.
- Excellent written and spoken English and strong scientific writing skills.
MSCA Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network eligibility requirements at the recruitment date:
- Applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree.
- Applicants must be doctoral candidates and be enrolled, or eligible to be enrolled, in a doctoral programme at the University of Zurich.
- Applicants must work full-time and exclusively for the ReDiLEEP project during the appointment, in accordance with the applicable MSCA and UZH rules.
- Mobility rule: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in Switzerland for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date.
- Exceptions to the mobility rule apply for compulsory national service, refugee status, and temporary protection.
The position is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks framework (36-months) and by University of Zurich (12-months) and will follow the applicable MSCA Doctoral Network conditions (for 36-months) and University of Zurich employment regulations (for 12-months).
- Gross salary: In accordance with the regulation of the Marie Curie Fellowship and UZH salary rates for the last 12 months
- Duration: 48 months, full-time.
- Place of work: University of Zurich, Irchel campus, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Start of employment: Between February 1st and June 30th 2027. The appointment is subject to final MSCA eligibility verification, doctoral programme enrolment, and completion of UZH administrative onboarding.
Information on your application
Please submit your application in English by 01 October 2026 as a single PDF file. Applications should include:- A cover letter describing your motivation for the position, relevant experience, and fit with DC11.
- A curriculum vitae.
- Copies of degree certificates and transcripts.
- A short statement confirming your MSCA mobility-rule eligibility for Switzerland, including countries of residence, work, and study during the previous 36 months.
- Contact details of two referees who may be contacted for a reference.
Selection Principles
Recruitment will follow open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment principles and the MSCA Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers. Applications will be assessed on eligibility, scientific excellence, motivation, fit with the project, quantitative and policy-relevant skills, and potential to contribute to the ReDiLEEP doctoral network. Selection committees will be composed to ensure diverse expertise, appropriate gender balance, international perspective, and absence of conflicts of interest.
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Owen Petchey Full professor +41 44 635 47 40
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Maja Weilenmann Administrative Assistant +41 44 635 61 24
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Working at UZH
The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!
More → https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/work.html
Please apply via our job portal www.jobs.uzh.ch.
The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!
More → https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/work.html
Please apply via our job portal www.jobs.uzh.ch.
Working at UZH
The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!
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