Open positions

General information

We welcome group members that want to conduct research at the interface of field observations, experiments and theory to tackle fundamental and applied questions related to our ability to predict plant community responses to climate change. A background in ecology and previous experience in field work, plant species ID, and / or statistical modeling is helpful (especially for postdoctoral applicants), but not always required. We provide all group members with intellectual guidance and support in 1) developing ecological research questions, 2) executing the observations and experiments necessary to tackle that question, and 3) disseminating the results that research in the form of talks and papers. Our group is composed of many people with a diversity of gender identities (including LGBT+), nationalities, beliefs and cultures. We celebrate and respect this fact, and it is very important to us that all group members do so as well.

Group members have the opportunity to conduct fieldwork at field sites in Switzerland and the United States (primarily Washington).

Bachelors and Master students

Please go to the Education page for project opportunities.

Prospective graduate students

Please see open positions available in our group, but feel free to contact us even if there are none. Those interested in the Plant Ecology group should send an email to and / or explaining your interest in the group, and include a CV outlining your educational background, relevant research, course, and volunteer experiences, and the names of at least two references that know you well.

Potential postdoctoral fellows

Please see open positions available in our group, but feel free to contact us even if there are none. Those interested in the Plant Ecology group should send an email to  and / or with a description of past research experiences and research directions you would wish to pursue while in the Plant Ecology Group. Please include a CV outlining your background, previous research experiences (including publications and grants / fellowships), and the names of at least two references that know you well.

We are also open to supporting postdoctoral candidates seeking external funding to join the group. For example, the Swiss National Science Foundation supports postdoctoral applicants through the external page SNF Ambizione scheme, and ETH Zürich supports postdoctoral scientists through ETH Postdoctoral Fellowships. If this is of interest, please mention this in your contact email, and ideally contact Janneke Hille Ris Lambers and / or Jake Alexander (with the same information as above) at least 2 months before any application deadline.