Post Doctoral Researcher - B3 Comparative Ecologies of Cities

100%, Singapore, fixed-term

The centre currently runs several research programmes with the Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) as one of the programmes. It is home to a community of over 100 PhD, postdoctoral and Professorial researchers working on diverse themes related to sustainable cities and resilient infrastructure systems. In the course of their work, researchers actively collaborate with universities, research institutes, industry, and government agencies to offer practical solutions.

Project background

The project is centred on the proposition that urban pattern-process-function relationships provide valuable knowledge to advance the science of urban planning. The project builds upon emerging theoretical and empirical evidence that patterns of human settlement systems (urban patterns) shape social and ecological processes (urban processes), and such processes, in turn, dictate the key demands of urban living such as social relations, mobility, economic exchanges, biophysical environment, ecological conditions, etc. (urban functions). The project will investigate such pattern-process-function relationships across several cities to develop generalizations that can be used as urban planning and design principles to guide sustainable urban development, which will be tested in design studios. The main methods employed are remote sensing, spatial pattern analyses, data mining from global datasets, applications of mechanistic and empirical models, and statistical modelling for 5 key domains: urban climate, hydrology, biodiversity, public health and social-economic exchanges.

Job description

• Contribute to urban climate and microclimate analysis by combining process-based and data-driven approaches across a large number of cities.
• Contribute to the study of pluvial flood risk, investigating the links between urban patterns, infrastructure, rainfall extremes and floods across a large number of cities. 
• Work closely with other team members for integration of data with other work packages.
• Co-lead project administration, coordination and reporting.

Your profile

• PhD in relevant disciplines, such as, urban climatology, urban system science, urban hydrology.
• Knowledge of mesoscale meteorological models, CFD techniques or other process-based models applied in the urban context is requested.
• A track record of interdisciplinary research will be evaluated positively.
• A track record in publications commensurate with distance from PhD. Recently graduated PhD are welcome to apply.
• A strong team player who can multi-task and work effectively as part of a team
• A track record in publications 

Your workplace

Your workplace

We value diversity

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our

Equal Opportunities and Diversity website

to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish.

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:

• Detailed CV including the publication list
• A motivation letter
• Minimum of 2 referee letters
• 2 samples of publications
• Relevant works demonstrating quantitative skills in landscape planning or spatial analysis

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Further information about the Future Cities Laboratory can be found on our website . Questions regarding the position should be directed to Eva Moo .

Singapore-ETH Centre

The Singapore-ETH Centre provides a multicultural and interdisciplinary environment to researchers working on diverse themes focussed on sustainable and liveable cities, resilient urban systems, and patient-centric healthcare. The centre is home to a community of over 100 doctoral, postdoctoral and professorial researchers working in three main programmes: Future Cities Laboratory, Future Resilient Systems, and Future Health Technologies.