PhD in Dendroecology (f/m/d)
Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL
Birmensdorf
Key information
- Publication date:29 October 2025
- Workload:100%
- Place of work:Birmensdorf
Job summary
Join the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, a leader in environmental protection. We're offering a unique PhD opportunity in Dendroecology!
Tasks
- Investigate atmospheric vs. soil drought impacts on wood formation.
- Analyze tree growth dynamics using dendrometer and tree-ring data.
- Establish relationships between tree growth and environmental factors.
Skills
- Master's in forest ecology, environmental sciences, or similar.
- Strong analytical and statistical skills in time-series analysis.
- Proficiency in programming and handling large datasets.
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The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL is part of the ETH Domain. Approximately 600 people work on the sustainable use and protection of the environment and on the handling of natural hazards.
PhD in Dendroecology (f/m/d)
The Research Group Dendrosciences uses tree rings to investigate and understand environmental impacts on tree growth and to reconstruct past environmental changes at scales ranging from minutes to millennia and from cells to ecosystems around the globe. From 1 January 2026, we offer a 4-year position as a
You will be part of a project aiming to empirically disentangle atmospheric vs. soil drought impacts on intra- and inter-annual wood formation, and mechanistically model drought constraints on intra- and inter-annual tree growth dynamics ( https://www.wsl.ch/en/projects/sad-tree ) based on a unique monitoring network of 44 forest sites in Switzerland spanning 10 years of soil moisture and atmospheric climate data. In this context, you will contribute to the establishment and analysis of intra- and inter-annual time series of tree growth based on dendrometer, tree rings, and quantitative wood anatomy (QWA).
You will be responsible for establishing improved empirical relationships of tree growth-environment interactions based on the long-term integrative Soil-Plant-Atmosphere-Continuum dataset (tree & stand traits, physical environment), analyzing: intra-annual water- and growth-related stem radius changes from dendrometer measurements, early-season wood anatomy related to water transport and rehydration, and long-term drought effects on growth using tree-ring widths.
You will be part of a very enthusiastic and ambitious project team that includes leading experts in the field. The position will be part of the WSL Dendrosciences group, a top address for tree-ring research with experienced researchers and technicians, state-of-the-art laboratories, and a dynamic, stimulating and international working environment. You will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Climate Sciences of the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR) at the University of Bern.
You have a Master's degree in forest ecology, environmental sciences, or equivalent. You should have excellent analytical and statistical skills in time-series analysis, preferably in dendrosciences and/or tree physiology. Ideally, you are proficient in programming and handling of large datasets, and have experience with tree-ring methods. You are able to efficiently expand and acquire knowledge in topics relevant to the project. You have a proficient command of written and spoken English, are able to work in a structured, efficient and independent manner, and have a high level of team spirit and have good communication skills.
Please send your complete application to Stefania Pe, Human Resources WSL, by uploading the requested documents through our webpage. Applications via email will not be considered. Georg von Arx (phone +41-44-739 23 16, E-Mail schreiben) and Stefan Klesse (E-Mail schreiben) will be happy to answer any questions or offer further information. WSL is committed to diversity and inclusion as core values. We actively promote gender equality and foster an open, inclusive work environment.
