The Sustainable Agroecosystem group at ETH Zurich is looking for a highly motivated Postdoc for a project on smallholder farmer relevant agroecological innovations in Kenya. The Sustainable Agroecosystem Group focuses on the feedbacks between agroecosystem management options, plant-soil interactions, nutrient cycling, and soil microbiome functioning within a transdisciplinary framework to ensure relevance and viability of the research outcomes for a farmer-led transition to sustainable agriculture.

Project background

A new farmer-based agroecology innovation research initiative (Agroecology Academy - Africa) has been established at ETH Zurich with a parallel base in Western Kenya to contribute with the latest insights into agroecological science. It will investigate easily adoptable solutions to improve the farmers’ situation by enhancing soil fertility, crop productivity, income, farming system resilience and agricultural sustainability in general. It will act as a bridge between research and practice by connecting agricultural stakeholders (i.e. smallholder farmers, extension specialist, food processors, etc.) and academics. Besides delivering excellent research, a strong focus will be on achieving impact on the ground and thus contributing to the smallholder farmers’ livelihood. The initiative's work will focus on three key areas: farmer-centred research, translation of research into action, and knowledge exchange, training and education. To further leverage project outcomes and to scale it to additional regions and communities, universal principles will be identified in order to apply them across the African continent.

Job description

This specific postdoc project is aimed at compiling local farmer knowledge on agroecological practices, emphasizing on locally produced bioinputs (biofertilizers and biopesticides) to increase productivity, not only in the short-term, but also in the long-term.

To this aim, you will:

Conduct a local farming practices knowledge study for Western Kenya through literature search, surveys with farmers, focus group discussion with smallholder farmers and other food systems actors, interviews with local food system authorities
Perform a meta-analysis on locally produced bio-inputs (i.e. fertilizer and pesticides) across sub-Saharan Africa
Rigorous (on-farm) testing of locally sourced bio-inputs (i.e. fertilizer and pesticides) in Western Kenya

Profile

PhD in agronomy, soil science, crop science or similar
Experience in interdisciplinary projects to holistically assess the sustainability of agriculture
Interested and experienced in Agroecology both from a theoretical and practical perspective
Excellent academic track record. You have a strong background in agroecosystem management research, data compilation, and data analysis techniques and methodologies
Experience with surveys, focus group discussions, and interviewing is a major plus
Highly motivated and self-organized
You will be expected to help us maintain a positive team dynamic and a welcoming work environment
You should be able to combine strong individual research with teamwork within an interdisciplinary project. You should be open-minded towards research within a transdisciplinary approach
Be ready for heavy field-work in the tropical sun
Excellent communication skills in English, both verbally and written

Workplace

We offer

You will work in a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure measurement and computational facilities. The position provides the opportunity to work within a transdisciplinary environment, allowing for a broadening of perspectives and networks. We offer salaries according to Postdoctoral levels at ETH Zurich as well as other attractive working conditions. The envisaged starting date is 1 July 2026. The position is limited to 24 months, with the possibility of a 24 months extension.

We value diversity and sustainability

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.

Curious? So are we.

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

CV including your educational history and a full list of publications
Letter of motivation of max. 2 pages covering your past research, teaching and engagements experiences and future interests and goals in those three aspects of being a translational scientist; and how they would relate to and fit in with the project
Contact information of at least two references, mentioning for each the professional relationship you have with them

Further information about the research group can be found on their website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Johan Six ([email protected]) (no applications).

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.

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