One Health Institute

PhD Position Global Mapping of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals and Access to Veterinary Services 80 %

Start of employment immediately or upon agreement, temporary

The Epidemiology and Geography Group at the One Health Institute, University of Zurich, is looking for a PhD candidate interested in developing geospatial models to map antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals as well as accessibility to veterinary services worldwide. The position is for four years.


The One Health Institute (OHI) is an interfaculty institute founded jointly by the Vetsuisse Faculty, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Faculty of Science at the University of Zurich. The Epidemiology and Geography group focuses on assembling large databases and developing methods to map infectious diseases. Our primary interest is on mapping antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries.


The student will work under the mentorship of Professor Thomas Van Boeckel, who recently moved to the University of Zurich as one of three founding professors of the One Health Institute.

Your responsibilities

Antimicrobial Resistance is rising globally. This slow-moving crisis is driven by the overuse of drugs in humans, but also in animal production, which currently represents 73% of global antimicrobial consumption. You will lead the development of geospatial models and produce maps that can be used to help prioritize surveillance efforts against AMR in animals and improve access to veterinary services.


In particular, this PhD project will focus on:
  • ensemble forecasting, and propagation of uncertainty in geospatial models,
  • expansion of geospatial models in the space-time dimensions,
  • use of web-scraping methods.

The project will leverage existing global datasets (resistancebank.org), and demographic and health surveys. The candidate will also bring their own original research questions to develop in the field of spatial epidemiology. In the Epidemiology & Geography Group, we deeply care about bringing together people from diverse educational backgrounds, geographical areas, and cultural origins to build complementarities within the team.

Your profile

We are looking for an enthusiastic and quantitatively minded scholar with an interest in generating evidence that can be used to guide policies. The candidate must hold a master's degree in public health, epidemiology, applied mathematics or related field, and have great oral and written communication skills in English.


The ideal candidate will have:
  • experience with ensemble forecasting and a strong background in statistics.
  • experience working with the programming language R, including the use of species distribution models, point pattern models, and spatial analysis packages.
  • an interest in developing web-scraping tools.

Although not mandatory, the following skills would be an asset:
  • experience using high-performance computing clusters
  • experience with Python
  • experience with research collaborations in low- and middle-income countries
  • background in microbiology
  • ability to read Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, or French

Information on your application

We will begin reviewing applications October 15th 2024 and seek to fill the position by January 1st 2025 (flexible).


UZH offers excellent opportunities and strong support for career development. Salaries are internationally competitive. Link: Salary ranges. The initial contract is for one year and renewable up to four years of the project timeframe. We take gender balance and diversity seriously in our hiring decisions.


We look forward to receiving one pdf document containing a 1-page cover letter, CV (including contact of 2 referees), and Master diploma or equivalent though the job portal. We are eager to hear about your past research experiences, aspirations, and motivations for embarking on a PhD.

What we offer

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What we offer

Work-Life Balance
  • Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing)
  • Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH


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Learning and Development
  • Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich
  • Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

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Food
  • Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias
  • Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

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Healthcare
  • Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ
  • Free seasonal flu vaccinations
  • Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

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Discounts
  • Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space
  • Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions
  • Special conditions on hotel reservations

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Conditions of Employment
  • Policies of the UZH
  • Most UZH staff are employed according to public law


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International Services
  • Support for people from outside Switzerland

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Campuses
  • Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren
  • Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg

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Further information

Questions about the job

Prof. Thomas Van Boeckel Associate Professor One Health with Focus in Epidemiology
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Contact question to: Prof. Thomas Van Boeckel

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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!
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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! More
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