The Chair of Building Physics of ETHZ studies physical processes in the urban microclimate to design sustainable, energy-efficient, comfortable and healthy urban environments. The Air Pollution/Environmental Technology Lab of Empa measures and models air quality over a wide range of scales down to the city scale. Together, we are offering a
PhD Position: “Urban climate and air quality modeling between the meteorological and urban scale”
Urbanization, that is the physical growth of urban areas and the increasing number of people living in cities, is a growing global phenomenon. In order to understand the effects of environmental changes on human health and welfare, it is essential to address phenomena at the city scale such as urban heat island effects, urban air pollution and urban microclimate. However, while mature models are available to investigate these phenomena at both the mesoscale (resolutions of 500 m – 25 km) and the microscale (resolutions 10 cm – 10 m), models at the intermediate scale that are able to cover entire cities are only emerging.
The aim of this project is to implement and further develop a new computational model at city-scale, to properly link it to the meso- and micro-scale models already operated by the two labs, and to demonstrate the assets of the new model in case studies such as the investigation of urban heat island effects and air pollution dispersion.
Candidates should have a Diploma or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Civil, or Environmental Engineering/Environmental Science, or equivalent, and a strong background in meteorology, climatology, urban physics and a profound experience with numerical modelling with CFD and/or mesoscale climate models. The ideal candidate is a communicative scientist with a good attitude towards team-working in a dynamic environment, and with excellent knowledge of the English language. Comprehension and oral expression skills in German are desirable.
The supervisor is Prof. Dr. Jan Carmeliet. He is full professor at the Chair of Building Physics at ETH Zurich and head of the Laboratory for Multiscale Studies in Building Physics of Empa. The work place will be at Empa Dübendorf. The planned duration is three years.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting Dominik Brunner (Dominik.Brunner@empa.ch) or Jonas Allegrini (Jonas.Allegrini<στο>empa.ch) – (please do not send any applications). You may also visit the web sites of the two laboratories at Empa: www.empa.ch/abt503, www.empa.ch/abt305
We look forward to receiving your application online at www.jobs.ethz.ch (or “Apply now” below) with attention to: ETH Zurich, Mr. Matthias Steiger, Human Resources, CH-8092 Zürich. Please include a comprehensive CV, cover letter and names and addresses of references.
Any other way of applying will not be considered.