Doctoral student in induced and natural seismicity forecasting

Job description

The Swiss Seismological Service (SED) at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (D-EAPS) is seeking a motivated doctoral student to work at the intersection of statistical seismology and machine learning. This position is part of two EU-funded projects: GeoTwins, which focuses on creating digital twins for geothermal systems, and Earth-AID, which aims to develop an AI-powered decision-support system for geohazards. The position will contribute to advancing earthquake forecasting and risk management and improve our ability to mitigate induced seismicity in real time. 

The doctoral student will develop, integrate, and evaluate forecasting models of induced and natural earthquakes. The responsibilities include:  

• Model Integration: Incorporating state-of-the-art models, specifically ETAS-f and Oracle, into the SED's forecast management and scheduling system 
• Systematic Evaluation: Performing rigorous model comparison tests to determine forecast quality 
• Surrogate Modeling: Building, training, and evaluating machine learning surrogate models to emulate complex seismic behaviors and accelerate forecasting 
• Data Engineering: Populating and managing data lakes with large-scale natural ETAS simulations and synthetic datasets to provide the foundation for AI training 
• Scientific Communication: Publishing findings in high-impact journals and presenting at international conferences 

Profile

• Education: An MSc degree in Geophysics, Physics, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related quantitative field 
• Technical Skills: Strong programming proficiency (primarily Python) 
• Domain Interest: A deep interest in seismology, induced seismicity, and the application of statistics and machine learning to earth science problems 
• Analytical Skills: High-level quantitative skills and a structured approach to complex problem-solving 
• Communication: Ability to work effectively in a collaborative environment with full proficiency in English (written and oral)

We offer

The Swiss Seismological Service operates at the unique intersection of academic research and a federal public mandate, fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are essential for addressing complex geohazard challenges. The candidate will be part of a community that values mutual mentorship and collective growth, supported by a world-class academic environment: ETH Zurich is currently ranked #1 globally for Earth Sciences (QS World University Rankings 2026). This is a 100% position with a competitive salary in line with standard ETH doctoral rates, based in the heart of Zurich.