Ph.D. Position: Microplastics in Alpine and Arctic Environments

This is how you can contribute

• Develop the theoretical basis, concepts and ideas to study microplastics (MP) in alpine and arctic environments, based on relevant literature          
• Explore, adapt, optimize, and validate methodologies for collecting, identifying and quantifying MP in alpine and arctic environmental compartments, in particular atmosphere, snow and soil         
• Monitor the occurrence of MP in alpine and arctic environments, with a focus on Greenland snow           
• Design and execute complementary sampling campaigns and laboratory experiments to understand the occurrence, fate and behavior of MP under cold climatic conditions and to facilitate field data interpretation       
• Establish and maintain collaboration with ArcSolution partners with expertise in the field to ensure scientific input and practical support, regarding all of the above activities, i.e, sampling, logistics, analytics          
• Interpret field and laboratory data and present results in peer reviewed journals, consortium meetings and (inter-)national conferences                   

This makes you unique

• MSc in Chemistry, Environmental Sciences or closely related disciplines            
• Knowledge and practical experience in environmental and analytical chemistry, preferably from working with microplastics, and familiarity with QA/QC of complex analyses       
• An independent way of working with cross-team collaboration skills            
• Willingness to travel and reside periodically within the ArcSolution region        
• Knowledge of two official Swiss languages and English            

In a nutshell

ArcSolution is an EU Horizon Europe funded project that aims to reduce pollution in the Arctic using a comprehensive approach that considers both environmental and human health (https://site.nord.no/arcsolution/). Within the Workpackage 3. "Arctic Pollution in a climate change context", the successful candidate will investigate the occurrence, fate and behavior of MP in alpine and arctic environments, with a focus on atmospheric transport and deposition. The PhD student will be employed at Agroscope, and mainly work in the joint MP laboratories of Eawag, Empa and Agroscope in Dübendorf, Switzerland. She/he will be enrolled with Prof. Katrin Vorkamp at Aarhus University in Roskilde (Denmark), and co-supervised by Christoph Hüglin (Empa) and Ralf Kägi (Eawag).