Postdoc position

Land-use and climate change scenarios
for species distribution modelling and national ecological infrastructure analyses

Introduction

The University of Lausanne (UNIL; www.unil.ch ) is a higher teaching and research institution composed of seven faculties where approximately 17,000 students and nearly 5,000 collaborators, professors, and researchers work and study. Ideally situated along the lake of Geneva, near Lausanne's city center, its campus brings together over 120 nationalities and hosts many facilities, including a theatre and large set of sports infrastructures and clubs (for skiing, sailing, etc.). Since 2019, UNIL has a collaboration agreement with the headquarter of the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) in Gland near Lausanne and was recently ranked within the top academic institutions in Switzerland on sustainability issues.

Presentation

The ECOSPAT group ( www.unil.ch/ecospat ) is part of two UNIL’s entities: the Department of Ecology & Evolution (DEE; www.unil.ch/dee ) and the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics (IDYST; www.unil.ch/idyst ), two vibrant research units including tens of research groups in a large variety of disciplines around changes in biodiversity, climate, soil and water. ECOSPAT is specialized in spatial ecology and biogeography, with a particular focus on species distribution modelling, mountain environments, and applications to biodiversity conservation.

The position is included in the OneBioNet project ( https://www.wsl.ch/fr/projets/onebionet-e ), an integrated biodiversity initiative designed to strengthen biodiversity conservation under the second action plan of the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy (AP II SBS), funded by funded by the Federal Office of the Environment (FOEN). The project brings together a network of coordinated research and implementation activities aimed at identifying and enhancing ecological valuable areas and the functional connectivity across Switzerland. Guided by a participatory Theory of Change (ToC) process, OneBioNet integrates inter- and transdisciplinary expertise from ecology, spatial modelling, genomics, and social sciences together with stakeholders from science, policy and practice. Building on thousands of species distribution models, functional connectivity, genetic analyses and social-ecological network analyses, the project aims at identifying and prioritizing key ecological areas and connections under current and future conditions to contribute to the development of a coherent, nationwide functional network that supports biodiversity across multiple spatial and temporal scales.

Job information

Expected start date: 1st October 2026 or to be agreed

Contract length: The initial contract is for one year, with the possibility of renewal, subject to the availability of funds.

Activity rate: 80%

Workplace: University of Lausanne, Dorigny campus

Your responsibilities

Applications are invited for a postdoc position in the group of Prof. Antoine Guisan, ECOSPAT lab at UNIL. The advertised position is related to (i) the development of integrated and coherent landuse and climate change scenarios for the future (based on existing datasets and methodologies, and on established workflows) and (ii) their use in species distribution models (using a national pipeline) as inputs for designing a national ecological infrastructure in Switzerland. The candidates will be expected to collaborate tightly with the entire project team (A. Psomas, J. Bolliger, WSL).

Your qualifications

In order to complete our team, we are looking for someone with the following skills :

• PhD in modelling in Ecology, Biogeography, Conservation, Landscape Ecology, Environmental Sciences or equivalent.


• Advanced programming skills in the R software, with additional skills and knowledge in GIS, statistics, spatial analyses, numerical simulations. Experience in landuse/climate change modelling and scenarios, and species distribution modelling, will be a clear advantage.

What the position offers you

We offer a nice working place in a multicultural, diversified and dynamic academic environment, opportunities for professional training. Possibilities of training (e.g. doctoral courses, or specialized/technical courses), a lot of activities and other benefits to discover.

Contact for further information

Prof. Antoine Guisan, E-Mail schreiben

Your application

Deadline: 20.08.2026

Please, send your full application in PDF. It should include a motivation letter, your CV with potential mention of existing and ongoing publications, and the names and contact details of 2 reference persons.

Additional information

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance;
•    supporting early career researchers.
 

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