PhD Positions in Tropical Forest Ecology and Forest Restoration

About the role

The Species Interactions and Ecosystem Health group at ETH Zurich is recruiting two doctoral candidates for its SNSF Starting Grant project AniCaRes, which studies how animal communities shape tropical forest regeneration and carbon recovery. The project combines field experiments, molecular ecology, DNA metabarcoding/eDNA, animal monitoring, remote sensing and ecological modelling, with fieldwork mainly in Panama and Brazil. The two positions are complementary: one focuses on seed dispersal and seedling establishment, the other on herbivory, animal communities and seedling survival.

Key responsibilities

• Position 1: investigate how animals influence forest regeneration through seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and dispersal of soil microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungi; combine field experiments, molecular approaches and ecological analyses; fieldwork mainly in Panama with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
• Position 2: investigate how herbivores and predators affect seedling survival, plant community composition and carbon recovery; work with exclusion experiments, animal monitoring, vegetation surveys and ecological modelling; fieldwork mainly in Brazil.
• Contribute to data collection, analysis, scientific publications and dissemination of results, working closely with the principal investigator, group members and an international network.

Required profile

• Master's degree in ecology, biology, environmental sciences or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in quantitative ecological research and tropical ecosystems.
• Experience with data analysis, preferably in R and/or Python.
• Willingness to carry out extended fieldwork in tropical environments.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international team.
• Previous experience with molecular lab work, DNA-based ecological methods or tropical fieldwork is an advantage; GIS, remote sensing, animal monitoring, experimental ecology or ecological modelling is also advantageous.

What we offer

• An interdisciplinary, international research environment at ETH Zurich, with collaboration with research institutions and local partners in Latin America.
• Opportunities for international fieldwork.
• Positions funded according to ETH Zurich doctoral salary conditions.

Applications must be submitted online by 10 November 2026 with a CV, a letter of motivation stating which position(s) are preferred, academic transcripts, degree certificates and contact details of two referees.