Labor Assistant Quantitative Wood Anatomy 80-100% (m/f/d)
Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL
Birmensdorf
Key information
- Publication date:29 October 2025
- Workload:80 – 100%
- Place of work:Birmensdorf
Job summary
Join the WSL, a leading research institute focused on environmental sustainability. This role offers a collaborative and supportive work environment with opportunities for professional growth.
Tasks
- Prepare microscopic sections of wood cores for analysis.
- Measure wood anatomical traits using ROXAS image analysis software.
- Contribute to the SAD-TREE project investigating tree growth impacts.
Skills
- Bachelor or Master in forestry, environmental science, or related fields required.
- Experience in tree-ring measurement and cross-dating is a plus.
- Ability to work meticulously and independently while being team-oriented.
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The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, with around 600 employees, is part of the ETH domain. It deals with the sustainable use and protection of the environment as well as responsible management of natural hazards.
Labor Assistant Quantitative Wood Anatomy 80-100% (m/f/d)
The Dendrosciences research group uses tree rings to investigate and understand environmental influences on tree growth and to reconstruct past environmental changes on scales from minutes to millennia and from cells to ecosystems around the globe. From January 1, 2026, we offer a 12-month position as
You are responsible for preparing microsections of wood cores (embedding, cutting, staining) and subsequently measuring various anatomical features of the wood using the image analysis software ROXAS. The work is part of the SAD-TREE project ( https://www.wsl.ch/en/projects/sad-tree ), which aims to empirically investigate the effects of atmospheric and soil drought on intra- and interannual tree growth and to mechanistically model the effects of drought on intra- and interannual growth dynamics. You will be part of a very enthusiastic and ambitious project team that includes leading experts in the field. The position is limited to 12 months and is aimed at individuals with a recently completed degree.
You hold a completed Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in forest ecology, environmental sciences, or a related field. Experience in tree-ring measurement, cross-dating, and other tree-ring methods is an advantage. Routine work in the laboratory and on the computer is no problem for you. You work carefully and independently and are conscientious and team-oriented.
Please send your complete application to Stefania Pe, Human Resources WSL, by submitting the required documents via our application portal. Applications by email or postal mail will not be considered. For questions, Georg von Arx (+41 (0)44 739 23 16, georg.vonarx@wsl.ch) and Stefan Klesse (stefan.klesse@wsl.ch) are happy to assist you. At WSL, diversity and inclusion are lived values. We are committed to gender equality and to promoting an open and inclusive working environment.
