Doctoral Student in Glaciology and Glacial Hazards

Create an inventory of hanging glaciers using manual mapping and possibly machine-learning aided approaches Perform field measurements at high-elevation sites in Switzerland Collect measurements of ice temperatures, complemented with mass balance measurements, firn cores, and analyses of long-term ice-avalanche monitoring data Leverage collected field data and available meteorological data to drive a state-of-the-art thermo-mechanical model (Elmer/Ice) to investigate the past and future evolution of the temperature field of the investigated glaciers and possible repercussions on stability Predict basal temperatures of hanging glaciers from approaches developed at VAW-Glaciology and by project partners, and intersect these with stability criteria to derive a hazard index for hanging glaciers in the study region

The Professorship of Glaciology is affiliated with ETH’s Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). The position is part of the Stability of cold hanging glaciers under climate warming in the French and Swiss Alps (ICEFAL) project, a Swiss-French consortium studying the effects of rising ice temperatures on the stability of cold hanging glaciers and their likelihood of being the source of large ice avalanches. The project aims to provide a data-driven method to create an index of hazard potential for hanging glaciers in the French and Swiss Alps, combining geometric and thermal considerations through fieldwork, thermo-mechanical modeling, and regional-scale geospatial analyses. The work is supported by postdoctoral and senior researchers of VAW-Glaciology and is based in Zurich.

The group is a dynamic and international research group dedicated to the study of glaciers, ice sheets, and the impacts resulting from their changes. It values a welcoming, friendly, and supportive working atmosphere and strives for excellence. The group’s working languages are English, (Swiss) German, French, and Italian.

• A Master’s degree in geophysics, physics, environmental or earth science, environmental engineering, or related fields

• Excellent knowledge of English, both in oral and written form (C1 to C2)

• A keen interest in high-mountain hazards

• A solid foundation in math and physics

• Glaciologic training or expertise

• A willingness to conduct fieldwork in a high-mountain environment

• Geospatial analysis and processing skills (e.g., QGIS)

• Experience with hazard and risk management concepts

• Prior experience with physics-based numerical modeling

• Familiarity with a scripting language (e.g., Python or Matlab)

• Outdoor or mountaineering experiences

• Interest and experience working in teams

• Knowledge of German and/or French