PhD Position in Soaring Flight: The University of Lausanne (UNIL) is offering a PhD position focused on understanding the ecological and behavioral development of soaring flight in golden eagles, with an emphasis on how environmental and social factors contribute to learning.
PhD Position in Investigating the Role of Resource and Social Landscapes in Development of Soaring Flight
Designation:
PhD Candidate (Doctorant FNS)
Research Area:
Behavioral Ecology, Behavioral Development, Social Learning
Location:
Lausanne-Dorigny, Switzerland
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Master’s degree in biology, ecology, physics, or a related field.
- Interest in behavioral ecology, behavioral development, and social learning in wild systems.
- Proficiency in data analysis and programming languages such as R, Python, or MATLAB.
- Experience with multi-sensor tracking data and environmental, spatial, or movement data analysis is preferred.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
Job Description:
The PhD candidate will be responsible for:
- Processing and analyzing GPS and Inertial Measurement tracking data for juvenile and adult golden eagles.
- Participating in selected fieldwork sessions to understand the species and its habitat.
- Calculating biomechanics metrics of flight and quantifying social learning opportunities.
- Analyzing ontogenetic trajectories of soaring flight in relation to resource and social landscapes.
- Disseminating project findings through scientific presentations and publications.
- Managing 70% personal research, 25% teaching activities, and 5% lab maintenance tasks.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit the following documents online through the University of Lausanne recruitment platform:
- A cover letter (max 2 pages) outlining:
- Motivation for pursuing a PhD.
- Specific motivation for the advertised position.
- Skills and experiences related to the requirements.
- A detailed CV (max 2 pages).
- Names and contact information of two referees.
Last Date to Apply:
October 30, 2025
For more details, please contact Prof. Elham Nourani at elham.nourani@unil.ch.
