PhD student - Doctoral Candidate (DC11): Modelling of rocket impacts on atmospheric composition, dynamics, and climate

3 Jan 2026
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos (PMOD)

Research Field

Engineering » Aerospace engineering
Engineering » Mechanical engineering
Engineering » Simulation engineering
Environmental science » Earth science
Environmental science » Global change
Geosciences » Other
Physics » Applied physics

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions

PhD Positions

Country

Switzerland

Application Deadline

31 Mar 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

About SLICE

Space utilisation plays a crucial role in understanding climate change, but due to a drastic increase in launch rates, there is an urgent need to understand and mitigate potential environmental impacts of space activities themselves, particularly of launchers. However, large knowledge gaps persist for their operational phase from lift-off to landing/reentry. Here, the largest Global Warming Potential and Ozone Layer Depletion Potential are expected. Especially in the higher atmospheric layers, which are only accessed by launchers, potential impacts of emitted pollutants are amplified by very long retention periods and substance accumulation effects. To investigate the Space Launch Impact on Climate and Environment, SLICE will therefore develop a research and training programme that bridges the current divide between space engineering and climate science to close the gaps that exist in the Life-Cycle Analysis of space launch systems. Thus, SLICE will contribute to advance the science of climate change by investigating the three most pressing research areas of this field: Launch Vehicle Emissions, Atmospheric Interaction & Climate Impact and System Analysis & Design. This will generate actionable insights, on which SLICE will develop solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, accelerate the delivery of the Green Deal and establish an environmentally sustainable access to space. It’s the ambition of SLICE to generate desperately needed novel results, which will enable cutting-edge innovations. At the same time, SLICE is committed to training a new generation of highly skilled, resilient, and environmentally aware researchers. They will combine deep scientific knowledge with an ecodesign mindset and the ability to communicate across disciplines and sectors. These doctoral candidates will be uniquely prepared to shape a sustainable future for space transportation in Europe - technically, environmentally, and politically. SLICE directly supports the European Green Deal, ESA’s Agenda 2025, and will deliver crucial inputs for the EU Space Law and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) regulations at European level, including the development of PEF Category Rules (PEFCR) for space.

About the host organization

Since its establishment in 1907, the Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos (PMOD) has been studying the influence of solar radiation on the Earth’s climate, which includes the research of solar physics, the ozone layer, aerosols, atmospheric physics, and chemistry-climate interactions. For this purpose, it has developed its own dedicated global model SOCOL, which can interactively treat all processes and major feedbacks related to the ozone layer and atmospheric radiation. PMOD is traditionally widely involved in all communities focused on chemistry-climate modelling, monitoring of ozone and atmospheric radiation, and solar physics. (https://www.pmodwrc.ch/ )

Task description for your Individual Research Project (IRP)

Problem Definition: 

Previous studies of rocket emissions' impacts struggled from a limited information available on the emission data (composition, distribution, time evolution) and were mostly performed for a single emitted specie type or with a single model. A comprehensive multi-model assessment of the ongoing and potential future impacts of growing rocket launches has never been performed.

Research Objectives:

• Perform and analyse lab experiments focused on alumina chemistry and microphysics
• Simulate impacts of space launchers on atmospheric composition, considering the updated emission information and near-field processing
• Estimate the impacts on atmospheric dynamics
• Estimate the impacts on the future ozone layer and climate

Expected Results: 

• Estimates of impacts of different emitted species on the ozone layer and stratospheric dynamics
• Estimates of impacts on atmospheric circulation and climate
• Simulation of various future scenarios, important for policy makers
• Measurements of missing physico-chemical properties of alumina

Secondments:

• Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Madrid, Spain, ca. 5 months): chemistry-dynamics feedbacks and stratosphere-troposphere dynamical coupling
• Paul Scherer Institut (PSI, Villingen, Switzerland, ca. 2 months): lab measurements of alumina
  chemistry 

The IRP will have a strong link to other IRPs from different DCs for:

• Coordinated experiments, model updates and future scenarios
• Coordinated lab alumina experiments
• Global modeling data as input for LCA

Where to apply

E-mail

slice@tu-dresden.de

Requirements

Research Field

Geosciences » Other

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Physics

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Essential skills and requirements:

• MSc or equivalent in the field of atmospheric science, physics, or similar
• Ability to work efficiently and self-reliantly in a diverse inter-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment
• Ability to work in a team as well as independently
• Ability to solve complex problems with adherence of strict deadlines
• Proactive attitude
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) in English to derive the full benefit from the network training
• As secondments and events are foreseen, applicants must be ready to travel
• Applicants must be eligible to enroll on a PhD program at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) (see https://ethz.ch/en.html )

Desired skills:

• Knowledge in climate sciences, atmospheric chemistry and aerosol microphysics
• Experience in using global atmospheric models
• Project management
• Scientific writing
• Knowledge of the host institution language is a plus

Specific Requirements

Applicants can be of any nationality.

Candidates may apply prior to obtaining their master’s degree, but cannot receive an employment contract before having obtained the master degree.

Candidates may apply to multiple positions offered within SLICE, but should carefully choose the ones that they apply for.

In addition:

Horizon Europe MSCA Mobility Rule: Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (Switzerland) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date – unless as part of a compulsory national service or a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention.

Horizon Europe MSCA Eligibility Criteria: Doctoral Candidates (DC) must, at the date of recruitment by the host organization, have not been awarded a doctoral degree. 

Applicants who do not fulfill the Mobility Rule and the Eligibility Criteria CANNOT be considered for the research position.

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Internal Application form(s) needed
SLICE_Application_Form_FINAL_2.pdf
English
(90.89 KB - PDF)
Download
Additional Information
Benefits

• You will be working within our international group of > 30 researchers with experience in a broad range of sciences.
• You will get in contact with the other members of this international consortium.
• You will benefit from the well-structured training program offered by the host institution and the SLICE consortium to develop skills and thorough understanding of space transportation systems and their environmental impact.
• You will be employed by the host organization for 36 months.
• You will participate in international conferences and secondments to other organisations within the SLICE network and in outreach activities targeted at a wide audience.
• A competitive salary according to MSCA regulations (see page 118ff, https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2023-2024/wp-2-msca-actions_horizon-2023-2024_en.pdf ), including a living allowance, a mobility allowance and, if eligible, a family allowance. The stated allowances represent the gross funding amounts. Employer contributions to social security, health insurance, and other statutory costs will be deducted in accordance with the applicable national regulations.

Please find additional information in the Information package for Marie Curie fellows in doctoral networks (https://op.europa.eu/s/z831 ).

Selection process

For the selection procedure, the SLICE consortium will appoint a Recruitment Committee (RC) for each position. The selection will be carried out in two consecutive stages. In the primary selection, the RC evaluates all submitted application documents. Eligible candidates of sufficient quality will be shortlisted. In the final selection, short-listed applicants are invited to interviews, held either in person at the host institution or via video-conference, and to complete a position-specific task. Both interviews and tasks are evaluated against predefined criteria, leading to a ranked list of candidates. Final decisions are made by consensus within the RC. Applicants will be informed about rejection or admission to the interview stage by the end of March 2026, and final outcomes will be communicated by the end of June 2026. The employment and relocation phase will then start immediately, allowing sufficient time for contracting, visa applications, and relocation before the official start of the DC projects in October 2026. 

Timeline:

Application deadline: 31.03.2026

Primary Selection: 30.04.2026

Final Selection: 30.06.2026

Starting date: 01.10.2026

Additional comments

Application

Interested candidates are invited to submit one single PDF containing the following documents in this exact order:

• Application form
• Cover letter
• An evidence-based CV that reflects a representative array of achievements and qualifications appropriate to the position you are applying for
• Reference letters or, at minimum, the contact details of persons that may be contacted for reference
• Educational and professional certificates (university degree(s) with marks, internships, workshops, languages, etc.)

Moreover, you must submit:

• Short video (maximum 30 seconds, not longer). The video must include: personal introduction, background and your motivation to apply to the research position 

All the application documents must be submitted via email to slice@tu-dresden.de

The email subject must be “Application for DC11 position”.

The email size incl. attachments mustnot exceed 30 MB in total.

You will receive an automatic reply if we have received your email. Please avoid any questions on the status of the selection process. We will inform you as soon as there is an update.

Candidates whose application is not compliant with the requirements above will not be considered.

Application deadline: 31 March 2026 at 11:59 PM CEST

Expected starting date: 1 October 2026

Applications and enclosures received after the deadline will not be considered.

More information and other vacant positions can be found at:

• Website: https://slice-dn.eu/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-dn/

Reference to data protection: The personal data you submit will be processed at TU Dresden in accordance with its Data Protection Declaration (https://tu-dresden.de/tu-dresden/arbeiten-an-der-tud/stellenangebote/Da… ). In addition, your personal data will be shared with the consortium partners (see https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101227592 ) for the purpose of evaluating your application and carrying out the joint selection procedure. The project partners are joint responsible for the processing of personal data.

We in the SLICE consortium value diversity and we commit to equal treatment of all applicants irrespective of gender, sexuality, health status as well as social, cultural or religious background.

For additional information about the research project and this individual position, please contact: slice@tu-dresden.de or the main supervisor (Timofei.Sukhodolov@pmodwrc.ch ).

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos (PMOD)

Country

Switzerland

City

Davos

Postal Code

7260

Street

Dorfstrasse 33

Geofield

Contact

Website

https://www.pmodwrc.ch/

STATUS: EXPIRED

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