Internship in the field of Environmental Chemistry for a report on endocrine disrupting chemicals

The group of Environmental Chemistry at ETH Zürich is seeking a highly motivated and qualified person to fill a scientist position for work on a WHO/UNEP report on endocrine disrupting chemicals. The successful candidate will join a dynamic research team working on the risk assessment and management of chemicals in the environment. The position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the international management of endocrine disrupting chemicals.

The position is part of a project carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) with the objective to update the 2012 WHO/UNEP Report on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Our part of the project focuses on human and environmental exposure to EDCs. The selected candidate will be part of a larger international team of co-authors from ETH’s Group of Environmental Organic Chemistry and from the International Panel on Chemical Pollution, IPCP. Specifically, our part of the project deals with the presence of selected EDCs in biota and in humans as shown by environmental sampling and human biomonitoring studies. A second focus is the substitution of EDCs by alternative chemicals. Also for this part, several cases will be selected and the replacement of EDCs by less problematic alternatives, including non-chemical substitutions, will be analyzed. The available information needs to be extracted from the literature and synthesized in a document for policy- and decision-makers.

• Systematic collection of information from the scientific literature on a group of selected EDCs such as phthalate esters and brominated flame retardants, regarding (i) human and environmental exposure and (ii) the chemical substitution processes
• Analyzing the progress made since the 2012 WHO/UNEP report
• Drafting text that summarizes the information gathered in collaboration with the other co-authors

• A background in environmental sciences, chemistry or chemical engineering, ideally with some knowledge about endocrine disrupting chemicals
• Experience in searching and extracting relevant scientific literature from the Web of Science and other databases of scientific publications
• Strong writing and communication skills in English, enabling effective collaboration with other co-authors and the drafting of text for the report
• We welcome applications from applicants with an MSc degree.

Joining our research team offers a stimulating and collaborative environment, with a competitive salary and opportunities for professional growth and interaction with leading international experts in the field of environmental chemistry and chemicals policy. The position is funded for the duration of 6 months (100% appointment), starting at the earliest date possible.