Postdoctoral Position in Economics of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals

Postdoctoral Position in Economics of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals

The Health Policy and Geography Group at the Institute for Environmental Decisions is offering a Postdoc Position. 

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) –the ability of microbes to evolve and resist treatment- is rising globally. In September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly declared AMR “the most urgent global risk”, and mandated its member states to establish national action plans against AMR, including reductions of antimicrobial use in the agricultural sector. This position is part of a project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation to explore global strategies to curb the rise of antimicrobial resistance in animals raised for food.

We are looking for an enthusiast and quantitatively minded candidate to explore taxations schemes of veterinary antimicrobials. The candidate will combine disease dynamics models with differential taxation schemes that could help induce antimicrobial consumption patterns that mitigate the rise of AMR. The ideal candidate will also bring his/her own research questions to develop in the broad field of AMR economics. This is a fixed term position for 2 years with an anticipated start date between January and April 2022. The position is based at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. The successful candidate will join the Healthy Geography and Policy group led by Thomas Van Boeckel .

We welcome applicants with:

• A background in disease dynamics, and/or health/agricultural economics
• Experience with epidemic models, and statistics in the programming language R
• Experience with parameters inference with RStan and basic knowledge of antimicrobial resistance in farm animals, although not required is an asset

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.

We look forward to receiving your online application including the following documents: CV and one page cover letter. The cover letter should emphasize the career goals of the applicant, as well as the research questions that he/she would like to develop at ETH and how this complements the work conducted in the Health Geography and Policy Group .

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

Questions regarding the position should be directed to Thomas Van Boeckel by email [email protected] (no applications).

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.