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PhD Candidate - Site Specific Nitrogen fertilisation and Soil Mineralisation

Published
WorkplaceEttenhausen, Eastern Switzerland, Switzerland
Category
Position
Occupation rate
100%

Agroscope is looking for a:

PhD Candidate - Site Specific Nitrogen fertilisation and Soil Mineralisation

100% / 8356 Ettenhausen

The ’Digital Production’ Research Group makes use of information and communication technologies to solve a wide variety of challenges in the agricultural sector. The Group develops new data-based solutions for improving the efficiency and sustainability of production systems. In addition to the understanding of agricultural production processes, our core competencies lie in computer vision, demanding data analyses and modelling.
Nitrogen fertilisation can be made more efficient with site-specific technologies. This project aims to optimise the individual fertiliser applications by taking into account soil mineralisation. Mineralisation models and innovative nitrate sensors will be evaluated for their suitability for practical application.

About us

The ’Sustainability Assessment and Agricultural Management’ Research Division develops decision-making bases to help policy-makers create optimal framework conditions for a competitive and multifunctional Swiss agricultural sector. The analysis of a wide range of data from the agriculture and food sector enables the identification of promising operating strategies and policy measures. The Research Division deals with issues concerning digitalisation in agriculture.

Agroscope is the Swiss federal centre of excellence for research in the agriculture and food sector. Its researchers work at a number of sites in Switzerland. Headquartered in Bern-Liebefeld (as of 2026: Posieux), Agroscope is attached to the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER.

Description

  • Validate and further develop existing mineralisation models with regard to their practical suitability
  • Analysing data sets from field experiments and linking them with other data sources (e.g. weather data, satellite data)
  • Planning and conducting field experiments on N-mineralisation in soil
  • Writing scientific publications
  • Participation in scientific conferences and earning the required ECTS credits

Requirements

  • University degree in agricultural sciences, biology, environmental sciences or equivalent qualification
  • Interest in mechanistic and statistical modelling of the soil-plant system
  • Good knowledge of R or Python
  • Experience in analysing spatial data with ArcGIS or QGIS is an advantage
  • Knowledge of two official Swiss languages and a very good command of written and spoken English

We offer

We offer you a varied job in an interesting work environment as well as thorough training and a modern research infrastructure. Flexible working hours and good employee benefits are additional perks of the job.

Contact and Address

Additional information

If this position interests you and you meet the requirements profile, we look forward to receiving your online application at www.stelle.admin.ch, ref. no. 9428. (English is not an official Swiss language, please choose German, French or Italian as correspondence language).

Additional information can be obtained from Thomas Anken, in charge of the Group Digital Production by e-mail at thomas.ankenagroscope.admin.ch or by phone on N° +41 58 480 33 52 (please do not send applications to this e-mail address).

Start date: 01.05.2024 or date to be agreed. This is a fixed-term post finishing on 31.12.2026.

The Federal Administration is attentive to the different needs and backgrounds of its employees and promotes diversity. Equal treatment is a top priority.

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In your application, please refer to myScience.ch and reference JobID 63705.