We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join our team at the Institute of Environmental Engineering at EPFL (the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne). The selected candidate will engage in cutting-edge research in applied environmental microbiology. The research will focus on the physiology of microorganisms with one-carbon metabolisms, such as CO2 reduction and aerobic methane oxidation, and their biotechnological applications. The project is funded by the Swiss Science Foundation. The candidate will work as part of an interdisciplinary team.
The PhD position will be held in the Microbial Physiology and Resource Biorecovery laboratory (MICROBE) led by Dr. Wenyu Gu at EPFL (microbe.epfl.ch). EPFL is a public research university specializing in engineering and natural sciences and is part of the ETH Domain (Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology).
Microorganisms metabolize and grow on a variety of one-carbon compounds including CO2 and methane. The microbial metabolisms of one-carbon (C1) compounds are major metabolisms sustaining the global carbon cycle. These microbial processes attract both fundamental and applied interests due to the fact that CO2 and methane are potent greenhouse gasses. In addition, C1 metabolisms such as CO2 reduction to produce fuels and chemical precursors are promising biological processes for biotechnological applications. The open PhD position will complement the ongoing research activities at MICROBE, focusing on a better fundamental understanding of the physiology of microorganisms with C1 metabolisms to promote their innovative applications.
Your Profile
A MS degree in environmental engineering and science, microbiology, chemical engineering (or a closely related field) with evidence of research success in the form of a Master thesis or project are required. Experience in microbial metabolism or molecular biology is valuable.
The candidate should communicate effectively, be reliable, well-organized, and respectful of others.
We offer
Mentoring and support for professional and personal development; access to scientists with diverse backgrounds in the host groups; a world-class research and training environment with access to state-of-the-art research facilities at both EPFL and Eawag; a multi-cultural and stimulating work environment; and a highly competitive salary.
Application
Interested candidates should submit their dossier (one single pdf) containing a motivation letter describing your experience and interest in the position, a CV and contacts for three professional references to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Starting date
We are looking to fill this position as soon as possible, but we understand the importance of finding the right fit. Therefore, we offer flexibility in the start date for the selected candidate.