PhD position on the ecological forecasting of dryland vegetation dynamics (m/f/d)

 The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC) in Jena is dedicated to interdisciplinary fundamental research in the field of Earth system sciences with a focus on climate and ecosystems. The internationally renowned institute, which currently employs around 230 people, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2022. Jena is known for high-tech industry, internationally renowned research institutions and a modern university, but it also has a beautiful natural setting in the green Saale valley with steep limestone slopes. The city of Jena has an active student scene and a diverse cultural life.

For the department of Biogeochemical Signals we are inviting applications for a PhD position on the ecological forecasting of dryland vegetation dynamics (m/f/d) in full time, three years, extension possible.

Background and position description

Drylands cover ~45% of global land area, are home to ~40% of the global population and harbor more than 20% of global biodiversity. However, drylands face significant challenges from climate change (e.g. changes in temperature and precipitation patterns) and intensified anthropogenic activities and disturbance (e.g. over-grazing) leading to land degradation and desertification. Despite the severe consequences, our ability to accurately assess and predict dryland vegetation dynamics remains uncertain, largely due to lack of understanding of the biological and ecological mechanisms/processes driving the spatial-temporal dynamics of dryland vegetation under climate change and land use changes.
In the framework of a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary project between the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS-RCEES and CAS-ITP), the proposed projects provide a unique platform for the candidates to integrate knowledge and expertise across disciplines to improve our predictive capacity of seasonal to interannual changes in dryland carbon-water relations under global environmental change, such as rising CO2, increasing aridity and temperature, or nitrogen deposition.

Your tasks

• Synthesize complementary streams of long-term monitoring observations (eddy covariance, soil moisture, remotely sensed vegetation indices) and observations from field and process studies carried out across a gradient of dryland ecosystems in the DRYLAND project using the QUINCY model.
• Use the data-constrained model to assess the predictive skill in forecasting seasonal to interannual responses of carbon and water fluxes to climate variability and extremes.
• Evaluate the impact of future scenarios of climate and land-use change on dryland carbon and water fluxes and potential climate feedbacks.

Your profile

• Master's degree in Environmental/Earth system science, environmental engineering, physics or a computational science.
• Very good programming skills in a modern script language (e.g. python, R, Julia), and/or programming language (e.g. FORTRAN, C++).
• Knowledge on global change ecology and dryland processes, experiences in process-based numerical ecosystem or land surface modelling and Experience with data-assimilation or ensemble simulation techniques would be very advantageous
• Good English written and communication skills.

Our offer

• Work in the attractive international environment of an interdisciplinary research institute of the Max Planck Society as well as in a friendly and team-oriented working environment.
• Participation in a strongly interdisciplinary research project, with close collaborations with the MPI-BGC Processes Department (Prof. Susan Trumbore, processes understanding), CAS-ITP (Prof. Shilong Piao, eddy-covariance fluxes and remote sensing), Prof. N MacBean (Western University, Canada), as well as other MPI and CAS institutions.
• State-of-the-art biosphere models (e.g. QUINCY), and excellent programming support.

Part-time work is generally possible. The position will be evaluated and graded following the collective agreement according to TVöD Bund; in addition, we will provide a pension plan based on the public service (VBL).
The Max Planck Society (MPS) strives for gender equality and diversity. The MPS aims to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. Women are therefore explicitly encouraged to apply. We welcome applications from all fields. The Max Planck Society has set itself the goal of employing more severely disabled people. Applications from severely disabled persons are expressly encouraged.

Your application

Please do not hesitate to contact Prof. Dr. Sönke Zaehle (szaehle@bgc-jena.mpg.de) for details about the position. Are you interested? Please send us your application with cover letter, curriculum vitae as well a s names and contact information of two references summarised in a PDF file (max. 10 MB) by e-mail to bewerbung@bgc-jena.mpg.de or to the

Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie
Personalbüro: Kennwort “36/2022”
Hans-Knöll-Straße 10
07745 Jena

by September 9, 2022, quoting the reference number 36/2022. We ask that you do not use application folders, but only submit copies, as your documents will be destroyed in accordance with data protection regulations after the application process has been completed. We look forward to receiving your application!