ETH Opens Scholarships in PhD Climate and Agricultural Economics Programme

ETH Zurich Opens Scholarships in PhD for Climate and Agricultural Economics Programme

A new fully funded doctoral opportunity at ETH Zurich is drawing attention among international students interested in climate policy, agricultural economics, and sustainability research. The university is recruiting a doctoral student to work on climate change mitigation strategies in Swiss agriculture under a large national research initiative focused on Switzerland’s net-zero transition goals.

The four-year PhD position is designed for applicants with backgrounds in agricultural economics or related fields who want to work on real-world climate policy challenges rather than purely theoretical research. The selected candidate will receive a full ETH Zurich doctoral salary, social benefits, funded research opportunities, and direct involvement in one of Switzerland’s major climate transition projects.

The doctoral student will join the Agricultural Economics and Policy Group led by Professor Robert Finger and contribute to the ACHIEVE project, a national Swiss initiative bringing together universities, industry experts, public institutions, and policymakers to design pathways toward net-zero emissions.

Within the project, the PhD researcher will focus specifically on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Swiss agri-food systems. The work combines economics, behavioural science, and policy analysis with direct interaction with farmers and agricultural stakeholders.

Unlike many conventional PhD programmes that remain heavily classroom-based during the early stages, this role places the student directly inside active research and policy discussions from the beginning. The selected candidate will conduct surveys and choice experiments with farmers, analyze agricultural and economic data, and study how different climate policies influence farming decisions and emissions reduction efforts.

ETH Zurich describes the position as a fully funded, full-time doctoral appointment lasting four years. The selected candidate will receive a competitive salary according to ETH Zurich employment standards alongside Swiss social benefits.

The funding package includes:

• Full-time salaried doctoral employment for four years
• Access to PhD-level coursework worth 18 ECTS
• Continuous training and professional development
• Individual mentoring and supervision
• Opportunities to collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams
• Career development support for academia, industry, and government sectors

Because the doctoral candidate is employed as part of a funded research project, students do not need to arrange separate tuition or living expense funding as is often required in many international PhD systems.

One of the most important requirements for this opportunity is language proficiency. Since the project involves direct interaction with Swiss farmers and stakeholders, applicants must demonstrate C1-level proficiency in either German or French.

Applicants should also have strong analytical abilities, academic writing skills, and the ability to work in interdisciplinary research environments. Students currently completing a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics or a related discipline may also apply.

Applicants must submit their materials through ETH Zurich’s online application portal as a single PDF document. Required documents include a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and contact details for two referees.

The preferred starting period for the doctoral position is between October and December 2026.

For applicants searching for funded European PhD opportunities connected to climate transition research, this position offers something increasingly valuable: a salaried doctoral role linked directly to national-level sustainability policy work. While the language requirement will make the competition more selective, qualified candidates with the right academic background and regional language skills may find this one of the stronger applied climate economics opportunities currently open in Europe.