PhD position in environmental microbiology: Tracking antimicrobial resistance contamination in the lake environment

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global challenge requiring a One Health approach. For this PhD project, you will join the Microbial Ecology group at Eawag and work with our project team on establishing sequencing-based tools for quantitative and qualitative tracking of AMR in the environment. You will then apply these tools to study the spread of AMR from wastewater contamination in a lake environment, collaborating with our modelers to track the contamination in 3D and to determine the decay or proliferation of wastewater bacteria and resistance determinants in the lake. You will perform experiments that further constrain the decay functions of microbial contaminants, providing the basis for improved water quality models.

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented person interested in a 4-year PhD positon. You have graduated in microbiology, environmental sciences or a similar program. You are interested broadly and can imagine yourself working on a topic that spans One Health, molecular methods, microbial communities and aquatic environments. You have gained first independent research experience in environmental microbiology or microbial ecology and ideally you have worked on antibiotic resistance. You are familiar with molecular methods such as metagenomics, qPCR and source-tracking and you have demonstrated your talent for academic writing. You are equally excited about lab- and fieldwork, bioinformatics and data analysis. You enjoy collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of scientists to advance a common goal. 

We offer a fully funded PhD position for 4 years with a salary at competitive Swiss rates. Eawag offers an inspiring, collaborative and highly interdisciplinary research environment, state of the art laboratories, infrastructure for fieldwork and excellent working conditions. Your main place of work will be at our institute in Kastanienbaum at the shores of beautiful Lake Lucerne.

Eawag is a modern employer and offers an excellent working environment where staff can contribute their strengths, experience and ways of thinking. We promote gender equality and are committed to staff diversity and inclusion. The compatibility of career and family is of central importance to us. For more information about Eawag and our work conditions please consult www.eawag.ch and www.eawag.ch/en/aboutus/working/employment.

You will be enrolled as a PhD student at EPFL, one of Switzerland’s leading Universities. PhD applicants must be accepted by the EPFL doctoral school in order to pursue a PhD. For more information, please see https://www.epfl.ch/education/phd/edce-civil-and-environmental-engineering/. 

To apply for this position, please submit the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae (CV) detailing your academic qualifications and research
  experience

• A cover letter describing your research interests, relevant skills, and how
  you meet the profile for this position

• Proof of your MSc degree (or equivalent)

• A transcript of academic records

• Contact information for two potential referees

Review of applications will begin immediately and the position will remain open until filled. The latest starting date for the position will be October 2024.

For further information please contact Dr. Helmut Bürgmann

We look forward to receiving your application. Please send it through this webpage, as any other way of applying will not be considered. A click on the button below will take you directly to the application form.