Quantifying soil erosion phosphorus loads and eutrophication in European freshwaters

Applications are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Switzerland

PhD Program Environmental Sciences. The position is available from 1 June 2026 or later.

Research area and project description:
Soil erosion by water is a major contributor to eutrophication in freshwater systems, acting as an important source of phosphorus from land. While erosion–eutrophication links are widely assumed, quantitative evidence across spatial scales remains limited. Advancing soil and water protection therefore requires improved understanding of how farming systems, land management and erosion processes influence nutrient loading in rivers and lakes, as well as better identification of eutrophication hotspots across the EU.

This PhD project will develop integrated and reproducible approaches to quantify and reduce soil‑and‑sediment‑driven nutrient pollution in European catchments. It will assess the role of soil erosion and land management in phosphorus transport and eutrophication, using monitoring data from the EU Water Framework Directive to calibrate and validate advanced sediment routing and modelling approaches. The research will also design a European‑scale turbidity and sediment monitoring framework combining in‑situ observations and satellite remote sensing.

The project directly supports EU policies including the Common Agricultural Policy, Soil Monitoring Law and Nitrates Directive, and contributes to the European Green Transition. It is an international collaboration between the University of Basel and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre under the Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships programme.

Qualifications and Specific competences:
You hold, or are close to completing, a Master's degree in ecology, soil science, agricultural, environmental or related sciences. You have a strong interest in soil erosion modelling and phosphorus‑driven eutrophication, with experience in soil monitoring and erosion processes. Skills in GIS, spatial analysis of large‑scale data, modelling, remote sensing, and programming (R or Python) are desirable. You work independently, communicate effectively, are fluent in English, and are highly motivated and results oriented.

Candidates should, prior to the start of the employment contract with the JRC, have the nationality of a Member State of the EU or a country associated to the EU Research Framework Programme in force or be resident in a EU Member State for at least five years.

Please submit your complete application documents, including a letter stating your motivation and a short statement of research and teaching interests, experience and skills, a CV and contact details of at least two references via our online recruiting platform. Applications via Email will not be accepted. Final date to receive applications is 26th March 2026 23:59 CET. Preferred starting date is 1 June 2026
. Applicants seeking further information please see (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). or contact Professor Christine Alewell, christine.alewell. For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide -