Fully Funded PhD in Climate Change – ETH Zurich

About the Program

ETH Zürich invites applications for a fully funded PhD in Atmospheric and Climate Science focused on severe thunderstorms, mountainous regions, and climate change. The doctoral project is part of an SNSF Ambizione–funded research grant within the High-Resolution Weather and Climate Modeling Group at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences. Supervised by Dr Monika Feldmann and Prof. Andreas Prein, the research investigates how topography and climate change influence hail and damaging wind gusts using high-resolution idealised numerical modelling. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the project combines atmospheric physics, climate modelling, and computational science, with opportunities for international collaboration, field campaigns, and research stays abroad. The position begins between May and September 2026 and provides advanced training in ICON modelling and high-performance computing.

Program Details

Position: Fully Funded PhD Position / Doctoral Researcher
Institution: ETH Zürich
Department/Faculty: Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences
Supervisor: Dr. Monika Feldmann & Prof. Andreas Prein
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Start Date (Anticipated): Between May and September 2026
Duration: Standard Swiss PhD duration (typically 4 years)
Funding: Fully funded through SNSF Ambizione grant with ETH Zürich salary conditions
Working Hours: Full-time
Required Degree/Diploma: Master’s degree in Meteorology, Climate Science, Physics, or a closely related field

Research Focus/Area

Severe thunderstorms in mountain regions
Climate change impacts on extreme weather
High-resolution atmospheric modelling
Numerical simulations using the ICON model
Hail, wind gusts, and storm dynamics

Eligibility & Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

Master’s degree in Meteorology, Climate Science, Physics, or equivalent
Programming experience in data analysis and visualisation

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with severe thunderstorm dynamics or numerical weather modelling
Familiarity with Linux and HPC clusters
Programming skills in Python
Strong interest in extreme weather and climate processes

Key Features of the Program

Fully funded PhD within an SNSF Ambizione research project
Work with state-of-the-art high-resolution climate and weather models
Access to leading high-performance computing systems
International collaboration with MeteoSwiss, Pennsylvania State University, and the European Severe Storms Laboratory
Funding for research visits abroad and participation in field campaigns
Strong support for conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications
Inclusive and diverse research environment at a world-leading science and technology university