PhD Position in Forest Ecophysiology and Remote Sensing

Mission

We are offering a full-time (100%) PhD position at ENAC at EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland, within the Plant Ecology Research Laboratory (PERL): https://www.epfl.ch/labs/perl/

The PhD project will investigate how forest canopy temperature and spectral properties reflect tree physiological responses to increasing atmospheric drought and soil water limitation.

The overarching objective is to understand how forests regulate canopy temperature and water use under drought and to use thermal and spectral signals to map forest vulnerability from individual trees to large spatial scales.

The project will combine plant ecophysiology, field experiments, thermal and spectral remote sensing, UAV observations, and satellite data.

Initial work will take place at the Pfynwald experimental forest in Switzerland, where ongoing manipulations allow disentangling the effects of vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture on mature trees.

The project will then expand to a network of forest sites across Europe and ultimately use satellite observations to assess forest sensitivity and vulnerability at continental to global scales.

The successful candidate will be supervised by Prof. Charlotte Grossiord (EPFL) and co-supervised by Dr. Petra D’Odorico (WSL) and Dr. Helena Vallicrosa (WSL).

Main duties and responsibilities

As a PhD student, you will be expected to:

Profile

We do not expect candidates to already be specialists in all components of the project.

Candidates with a strong background in either plant ecophysiology or remote sensing and a clear motivation to develop expertise in the complementary field are particularly encouraged to apply.

We offer

Informations

The selection process involves multiple stages, and short-listed candidates will be requested to apply to a specific EPFL Doctoral Program to qualify for a PhD at EPFL, i.e. the Doctoral School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (EDCE).

Please check this page for additional information on admission.

Please note that this is a separate application process necessary to be eligible to complete your PhD at EPFL.

The application for the EDCE doctoral school can be conducted after the candidate selection.

Only applications submitted through the online platform will be considered. You are asked to supply:

Application deadline: Running deadline. The position will remain open until filled.

Contract Start Date: April or May, 2027

Activity Rate: 100%

Contract Type: CDD

Duration: 1 year, renewable

Reference: For more information, please contact: Charlotte Grossiord ([E-Mail-Adresse in der Originalanzeige]), Petra D’Odorico (WSL, [E-Mail-Adresse in der Originalanzeige]), or Helena Vallicrosa (WSL, [E-Mail-Adresse in der Originalanzeige]).

Applications sent directly to these email addresses shall not be considered.

Reference: 2490