PhD Researcher in Environmental Chemistry of Biodegradable Polymers | PhD position in Environmental Chemistry of Biodegradable Polymers

Job Summary

This PhD position at ETH Zurich and Eawag focuses on fundamental research into the environmental chemistry and fate of water-soluble biodegradable polymers. These materials are crucial for advancing a circular polymer economy, used widely in cosmetics, home care, and agriculture. The core goal is to establish structure-biodegradability relationships by linking polymer physicochemical properties (like molecular weight and chemistry) and environmental characteristics (temperature, microbial activity) to experimental biodegradation rates. Responsibilities include conducting systematic assessments of enzymatic and abiotic breakdown, running small and meso-scale laboratory incubations coupled with respirometric analysis, and advancing analytical chemistry techniques, including mass-spectrometric and stable-isotope tracing approaches. This is a highly interdisciplinary role requiring a Master's degree in chemistry or related fields, excellent teamwork skills, and mandatory proficiency in English. The role offers access to advanced analytical facilities within an international working group dedicated to sustainability science.