Postdoc: Microplastic Quantification in Fruit and Vegetables - Method Development and Initial Application

About the job

Zurich, Switzerland | 80-100%

How you can contribute

• Development of suitable workflows for sample preparation to isolate microplastics from various fruit and vegetable matrices, based on established internal protocols for extraction and detection in complex environmental samples using FPA-?-FTIR or QCL-based IR imaging
• Transfer of the developed pipeline into a verified standard operating procedure suitable for routine conditions
• Definition of "risk-based" and "exposure-based" monitoring strategies for microplastics in selected fruit and vegetable types and conducting corresponding pilot studies
• Quantification of microplastics, data analysis and evaluation
• Reporting to authorities, stakeholders and the scientific community at national and international meetings and conferences through presentations, reports and publications

What makes you unique

• PhD in Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Materials Science or a related field
• Solid knowledge of polymer chemistry and analytical environmental chemistry, knowledge of fruit and vegetable cultivation as well as food safety
• Practical experience in sampling, sample preparation and application of state-of-the-art analytical instruments for quantifying microplastics in environmental compartments
• Experience in programming and data analysis
• Scientific curiosity and keen observational skills in experiments
• Knowledge of two official languages and English

In brief

The project is funded by the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs and carried out in collaboration with Eawag (Dr Ralf Kägi) and Empa (Dr Christoph Hüglin, Prof Peter Wick). The employment and supervision are at Agroscope, with the workplace being the particle laboratory of Dr Ralf Kägi at Eawag in Dübendorf. The position is limited to 2½ years and starts in October 2026 or by agreement.

What we offer

• Working for Switzerland We are committed to the Swiss success model and work for the benefit of the population.
• Lived diversity Thanks to equal opportunities, we develop our skills and bring in different perspectives.
• Healthy at work We support and advise our employees in the area of physical and mental health.

All benefits

Good food, healthy environment

Agroscope is the federal competence centre for research in agriculture and food. The researchers carry out their activities at various locations in Switzerland. The headquarters is Bern-Liebefeld (from 2026: Posieux FR). Agroscope is part of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER.

Additional information

The Environmental Analytics research group supports and serves Agroscope researchers in chemical-analytical matters. Furthermore, it contributes with method development and its own research projects to a better understanding of the fate and behaviour of substances in the anthroposphere, agriculture and environment. Its target analytes range from heavy metals to organic micropollutants to microplastics.

Questions about the position

Thomas Bucheli
Head of Research Group
+41 58 46 87342