Postdoctoral Researcher in Forest Model Scalability
100%, Zurich, fixed-term
The Forest Resources Management Group (FORM) at ETH aims to maximize forest utilities for humans today and in the future. With this vision in mind our research focuses on developing impact-driven methods to forecast forest resources and support evidence-based decision-making in integrated forest management.
Project background
Forests are managed at various spatial and administrative scales, requiring decisions that range from the level of individual trees to entire landscapes and regions. These decisions often involve both single and multiple stakeholders. Models of forest dynamics are essential for understanding how forests may develop under different environmental conditions and management strategies. They guide current decisions aimed at securing the products and services expected from future forests. However, most models are designed for specific spatial scales and are not always suitable for decision-making at other spatial levels. This raises critical questions regarding the appropriate representation of spatial scalability in forest dynamics models. For example: How do different process representations perform when applied at stand-, landscape-, or regional scale? Can indicators - such as those related to forest resilience or climate policy - retain their relevance across different spatial scales, and how can they be most effectively represented in models? How do stakeholder objectives and constraints evolve between local and regional contexts, and how can these shifts be effectively incorporated into model structures and the definition of decision-making units?
The Forest Studio software suite, developed by the FORM group, is designed with these challenges in mind. The next phase of development focuses on transforming it into a smart scalability tool - capable of aligning process models of varying complexity with appropriate spatial scales for decision making, while integrating relevant indicators and accommodating shifts in objectives and constraints across scales.
Job description
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our group and contribute to advancing the spatial scalability of forest dynamics models in support of integrated forest management across nested spatial scales.
In this role, you will work at the intersection of forest ecology, modelling, and decision support. You will have the opportunity to strengthen your scientific profile through international collaborations, high-impact publications, and active involvement in student supervision.
The position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of innovative model structures, help shape the Forest Studio software suite, and engage with a dynamic, interdisciplinary research team. We value creativity and welcome your own research ideas, encouraging the development of independent lines of inquiry that complement and expand upon the core goals of the project.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and implement modular forest dynamics models that operate consistently across stand-, landscape-, and regional scales.
- Assess and address scaling-related distortions in forest dynamics forecasts and ecosystem service evaluations; develop methods to reduce these effects.
- Develop measurable, scale-specific indicators for key ecosystem services, including biodiversity, carbon sequestration, timber production, and water regulation.
- Design, execute, and analyze simulation case studies in diverse forest contexts to evaluate model scalability, validity, and robustness.
- Collaborate within interdisciplinary teams and actively contribute to workshops, research events, and international research networks.
- Disseminate research findings through high-quality publications in leading scientific journals, presentations at international conferences, and contributions to teaching and mentoring within the Forest and Landscape Management program.
Profile
- You have, or will soon obtain, a PhD in forestry, forest ecology, or a closely related field.
- You possess a strong foundation in forestry, forest ecology, forest management, and forest modelling; experience with process-based models is a distinct advantage.
- You have experience working with multi-scale ecological data and indicators.
- You are proficient in programming (e.g., R, Rust), with working knowledge of version control systems (e.g., Git) and tools for reproducible research (e.g., Quarto, Jupyter).
- Familiarity with optimization techniques and statistical analysis is desirable.
- You have a proven track record in scientific writing and effective interdisciplinary collaboration.
- You demonstrate strong analytical, communication, and project management skills.
- You are committed to inclusivity, collaborative work, and supporting the success of others.
Workplace
Workplace
We offer
- A stimulating and collaborative research environment at ETH Zurich, consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide for science and technology.
- The opportunity to help shape a new area of research within the FORM group, with strong institutional support and scientific autonomy.
- Engagement in high-impact, interdisciplinary research addressing globally relevant challenges in forest management and sustainability.
- A personalized career development plan, including access to mentoring, training workshops, and opportunities for leadership and supervision experience.
- A supportive, inclusive, and dynamic team culture, fostering creativity, knowledge exchange, and mutual growth.
- Funding to attend international conferences, workshops, and research visits, supporting global visibility and network-building.
- Access to state-of-the-art computing infrastructure for complex modelling and simulation tasks.
- A competitive salary and benefits package, along with excellent work-life balance in Zurich, one of the most liveable cities in the world.
Terms of employment:
- The position will be available starting in Autumn 2025, with some flexibility for the right candidate.
- The initial appointment is for one year, with the possibility of extension for up to three years based on performance and project needs.
- The primary workplace will be ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
- For details on salary, benefits, and career support for postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich, please visit the ETH Zurich Postdoc Centre website with information on salary, benefits and career support to postdocs.
We value diversity
Curious? So are we.
We look forward to receiving your complete application, including:
- A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages) outlining:
- your fit for the position in relation to the required profile;
- how your skills, interests, and experience match the role;
- your motivation for joining the FORM group;
- and any other relevant experience.
- A full CV
- Academic certificates and transcripts (PhD)
- Names and contact details of 2–3 references
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The final deadline for submission is 31 August 2025.
Please submit your documents in PDF format via the ETH online portal. We do not accept applications by email.
Further information on our research group is available at www.form.ethz.ch. For questions regarding the position, contact [email protected].
