The Technology Assessment Group (https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.psi.ch_ta_&d=DwIBaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=O1QUBsDk-xE9Okt4C46ZD4q2kRxy98F1d7rkkYZuwso&m=yBIconDLnfbxUIWS1v_0lzSaGac8i1YE3KsAZrXO_Tc&s=4RH7t0JENfJw4a-BC6swtEnJ0lEmD_C6qlbpNRHLUgU&e=) of the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis at the Paul Scherrer Institut
(PSI) is looking for a PhD candidate in "Integrated Sustainability Assessment of Swiss Consumption". This PhD is part of the OASES: Open Assessment of Swiss Economy and Society project. You would work in a team combining several databases on the social and environmental impacts of global supply chains to better understand the overall footprint of Swiss consumption. In this project, special emphasis is placed on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these data sources, including their uncertainty, and you will be evaluating and applying global sensitivity analyses and other mathematical techniques to large semi-linear systems to identify "leverage points" that reduce total impacts. You will then identify key areas where existing data quality is too poor to support robust decisions, and participate in new data gathering. Finally, you will do life cycle sustainability assessment of Swiss consumption, including helping to develop a website that will allow Swiss consumers to identify their individual hotspots.
All data and software developed in the project will be open, and programmed primarily in Python (see previous work by PSI:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__brightwaylca.org_&d=DwIBaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=O1QUBsDk-xE9Okt4C46ZD4q2kRxy98F1d7rkkYZuwso&m=yBIconDLnfbxUIWS1v_0lzSaGac8i1YE3KsAZrXO_Tc&s=88biNmFXJpvmZy8ghG38ZR5LyM02ufkilkfew3SxYKQ&e=, https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ocelot.space_&d=DwIBaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=O1QUBsDk-xE9Okt4C46ZD4q2kRxy98F1d7rkkYZuwso&m=yBIconDLnfbxUIWS1v_0lzSaGac8i1YE3KsAZrXO_Tc&s=JyqXFBfB0N9zUJHm_zZ4L6qsffN_AEQ3J8XhR6tcUus&e=,
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__wurst.readthedocs.io_&d=DwIBaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=O1QUBsDk-xE9Okt4C46ZD4q2kRxy98F1d7rkkYZuwso&m=yBIconDLnfbxUIWS1v_0lzSaGac8i1YE3KsAZrXO_Tc&s=ZR7YUi_ymqCc5_X1HcuPuK6N_ucsSd_8E2Z-zIowFE4&e=). We expect to develop a set of open source tools in Python during the project, and you should have experience or strong potential to develop open source scientific tools. You should also have a broad background with strong skills in natural science; knowledge of industrial ecology or life cycle assessment would also be helpful. The PhD will be in environmental or mechanical engineering, and granted by ETH Zurich. Good English is a requirement, and German or French would also be an asset. PhD students are expected to write several scientific publications and present their work at international conferences.
Interested applicants can view the official job posting here: