The Group for Circular Economy within the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics at ETH Zurich investigates the role that technological innovations, policy interventions, and business strategies play in transitioning towards a sustainable circular economy.

To expand our research on circular transition pathways we are looking for: 2 PhD Students in Circular Economy and Value Chain Resilience for Decarbonisation and Climate Adaptation (100%). 

Position 1: ACHIEVE

The PhD is embedded in the SWEET ACHIEVE consortium project, which investigates how to tackle less-easy-to and hard-to-abate greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland. Your research will focus on understanding the role of circular economy measures in reducing emissions across challenging sectors, including chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and waste treatment. Building on this, you will combine qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the implementation of circular economy measures from firm-level, policy, and value-chain perspectives, examining adoption pathways, policy requirements, and how these measures create new intersectoral linkages and reshape material flows.

Position 2: NCCR Clim+

The NCCR CLIM+ supports Switzerland in the transformation towards a climate-resilient society. Together with stakeholders, the interdisciplinary NCCR CLIM+ research community tackles unexplored solution spaces to the climate crisis and develops a blueprint for actionable climate research worldwide. NCCR CLIM+ broadly communicates and shares knowledge, and trains a new generation of experts with the necessary domain and transdisciplinary knowledge. Your research will focus on understanding how climate-induced disruptions, such as supply chain shocks, raw material shortages, or infrastructure failures, drive lasting structural changes in firms, industries, and policy. You will combine qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse historical and contemporary cases of industry restructuring in response to climate and environmental shocks, and develop forward-looking scenarios that equip businesses and policymakers with actionable strategies to navigate increasing climate variability and global interdependence.

For both positions:

We expect your research to be scientifically rigorous and relevant to policymakers and managers. You will collaborate closely with other researchers in our group, other research consortia members, as well as interact with policymakers and further stakeholders. As an integral part of your work, you will publish your results in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and outreach outlets. You will also supervise master students and support the group’s teaching activities.

The ideal candidate should:

• Hold an M.Sc. or equivalent degree in economics, engineering, environmental sciences, or a closely related discipline
• Have an excellent academic record
• Have strong analytical skills, including experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Be passionate about sustainability, circular economy, and climate resilience
• Be interested in the intersection of sustainability research and its real-world policy and business applications
• Be able to work independently, manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Be a team player with strong communication skills
• Have experience with coding and modeling (e.g., with Python)
• Be fluent in spoken and written English

Not required, but a plus to:

• Have work experience in a related area
• Have prior scientific publications in a related area
• Have experience working in interdisciplinary projects or teams, including stakeholder engagement or science-policy interface work
• Have familiarity with Swiss or European industrial and environmental policy

We offer a positive research environment in a large, dynamic team at a globally leading academic institution. In our group, you will benefit from frequent interactions with leading researchers from across a vibrant community of sustainability research at ETH Zürich and around the world.

Your day-to-day supervisor will be David Pfeffer, with Prof. Dr. Catharina Bening as the leader of the research group.

This PhD is fully funded. You will be hired as a full-time researcher for the entire duration of the project. The starting date is negotiable, but we are aiming to fill these positions by September 2026. The annual salary is very competitive (see ETH Zurich regulations). The position is based in Zurich, Switzerland. Remote work from outside of Switzerland is not possible due to legal constraints.

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. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.

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

• Your CV, with contact details of two referees,
• A letter of motivation detailing your research interests and reasons for choosing one of the two PhD projects,
• Your BSc and MSc transcripts, and
• An example of your written work (e.g., your master's thesis).

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis from late May 2026. Please submit your application through this online application portal by June 30th. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible since the position might be filled before the application deadline. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

For additional information, visit our website or contact David Pfeffer, or Inese Zepa ([email protected], [email protected], please no email applications).

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.