Junior Postdoc (less than ~3 years since PhD completion) to perform experimental work on the spectro-photometric signatures of living organisms in actual terrestrial biotopes and simulated planetary surface conditions. The overall goal of the project is to assess the potential of various putative bio-signatures (spectral absorptions, circular polarization…) for the detection and characterization of life on Solar System objects (Mars, Icy satellites) and in a more distant future on exoplanets. This project is closely related to the development of MERMOZ, a demonstrator instrument that will characterize the circular polarization of terrestrial environments first from a plane and ultimately from low Earth orbit. We are looking for a highly-motivated postdoc with background in either biology or optics/physics of light scattering and ideally knowledge in both areas. The position is for up to 2 years with a starting date between October 2019 and January 2020 and is funded as part of the National Centre for Competence in Research, PlanetS. (Additional details from antoine.pommerol@space.unibe.ch).