PhD vegetation modelling (m/f/d)

Awi - via Umantis - Potsdam - 04-05-2019 zur Vakanz  

Climate changes lead to vegetation composition changes at a location. Unfortunately, the involved processes and their interactions such as adaptation of species to the new environment or distribution acting across temporal and spatial scales, are complex and thus their impact widely not understood. To foster our understanding of vegetation changes responding to climate changes, we will make use of data from field work and model the important processes.

We are looking for one PhD student (m/f/d) that is enthusiastic about timely scientific questions about land surface processes on the Tibetan Plateau and their consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem services, starting as soon as possible. The focus are vegetation dynamics and involved processes on long time scales. Therefore, the main tasks lay in the interface of

data analyses and model development
.
The project focuses on
plant species diversity on the Tibetan Plateau
. It involves the development of a model to simulate plant diversity by taking drivers into account, e.g. climate, natural disturbances and land use and their interplay. By application of the newly developed model, the major drivers of plant diversity losses can be identified. Furthermore, projections will provide insights to assess future development of plant diversity under different scenarios.

Tasks

  • Processing and analyzing available data sets in both projects.
  • Development of a new numerical model to predict plant species diversity, based on the gained results, and further literature-based information.
  • Parameterization of the models and analyzing the impact of potential processes by running sensitivity studies.
  • Forcing simulations with the models using climate scenarios for the 21st century to predict the vegetation dynamics.
  • A doctoral degree with suitable publication activity as well as the presentation of the achieved results at international conferences are supported and expected.

Requirements

  • You must hold a master’s degree or equivalent degree in bio- or geosciences (Biology, Geoecology, (Geo)Physics or related disciplines).
  • Good knowledge of data processing and programming (C ++, R or similar languages) is required.
  • Advanced English skills (written and spoken) are a prerequisite.
  • In general, we expect good skills in communication and writing and a high capacity for teamwork.
  • The offered positions offers a chance to work together in a team addressing current scientific questions about vegetation dynamics. We support and expect the completion of the dissertation including relevant publication and presentation of gained results at international conferences.
Beneficial experience
  • Experiences in molecular biology and (geo)statistics
  • Previous knowledge in field work and permafrost land surface dynamics and permafrost

Further Information

For further information please contact
Dr. Stefan Kruse
(Stefan.Kruse@awi.de
+49(331)288-2218).
The position is limited to .3 years. The salary will be paid in accordance with the German Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes (TVöD Bund), up to salary level

13 (66%)
The place of employment will be
Potsdam.
As Ph.D. student at AWI you will be member of the Helmholtz Graduate School for Polar and Marine Research ‘POLMAR’ (
) or another graduate school.

This characterizes us

  • our scientific success - excellent research.
  • collaboration and cooperation - intra-institute, national and international, interdisciplinary.
  • opportunities to develop – on the job, aiming at other positions and beyond AWI.
  • a culture of reconciling work and family – audited, and even more than that.
  • our outstanding research infrastructure – ships, stations, aircraft, laboratories and more.
  • an international environment – everyday contacts with people from all over the world.
  • having an influence – fundamental research with social and political relevance
  • flat hierarchies – freedom and responsibility.
  • exciting topics – also in technology, administration and infrastructure.
Equal opportunities for women and men are an integral part of our personnel policy. Therefore, we encourage women to apply.
Disabled applicants will be given preference when equal qualifications are present. The AWI fosters the compatibility of work and family through various means. Because of our engagement in the area of work-life compatibility we have been awarded the certificate “Career and Family”.

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