Contact: tomy.doda@unil.ch
PhD student on Turbulence Assessment in Lake Surface with LéXPLORE
Dive into lake physics at one of Europe’s most advanced research platforms!
Are you ready to unravel the hidden dynamics of lake surfaces? Join the recently funded SNSF TALES-χ project and work at the intersection of fundamental physics and environmental science on Lake Geneva on the LéXPLORE platform—one of the world’s most instrumented natural laboratories.
The challenge
While we understand seasonal lake stratification well, we still lack detailed observations of how turbulence evolves hour-by-hour in surface layers—particularly during critical periods like daytime re-stratification. This project fills that gap using microstructure profilers and moored instruments to map turbulence patterns across depths and seasons. You will investigate how atmospheric forcing drives surface layer structure, analyze energy pathways and heat budgets, and develop improved methodologies for continuous monitoring of surface turbulence.
What you will gain
- Technical mastery: Work with cutting-edge profiling technology and advanced data analysis techniques
- Collaborative environment: Join Prof. Damien Bouffard‘s Aquatic Physics group at Eawag Kastanienbaum and collaborate with Dr. Tomy Doda at the University of Lausanne
- Open science impact: Your research will feed into a FAIR-compliant open-accessdatabase used by scientists worldwide
Who we are looking for
Outstanding master’s graduates in physics, physical oceanography, mechanical engineering, environmental science, applied mathematics, or computer science who are excited by:
- Complex fluid dynamics and turbulence
- Bridging theory with high-frequency field observations
- Collaborative mindset and teamwork abilities.
Interested? Apply here !
We will start interviewing potential candidates by February 1, 2026 but the position will remain open until filled. The anticipated starting date is Summer 2026 or by mutual agreement.