The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and its Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research/Department Atmospheric Environmental Research (KIT/IMK‐IFU) in Garmisch‐Partenkirchen, Germany, invites applications for a: Research Scientist: Modelling terrestrial ecosystems response to environmental changes
We seek a creative and communicative colleague in the land-ecosystem modelling group, based in KIT’s Atmospheric Environment Department in Garmisch‐Partenkirchen (https://lemg.imk-ifu.kit.edu/). Questions addressed in the group cover the interactions of environmental changes (especially land-use change and climate change) with ecosystem biogeochemical and water cycles, functional diversity, and ecosystem services. Most of our work is based on developing and applying a dynamic global vegetation model, off-line or coupled to atmospheric or socio-economic models. We cooperate closely with colleagues at IMK-IFU, Lund University (Sweden), and UNEP-WCMC (Cambridge). The successful applicant is expected to further enhance the group’s national and international research profile through leading and cooperating in research projects, contributing to general group activities (such as teaching, reporting and outreach) and developing project proposals, jointly with the head of group.
Tasks include:
– further develop, evaluate and apply the process‐based dynamic vegetation model LPJ‐GUESS and its coupling to atmospheric, socio-economic and biodiversity models;
– utilise different observational data streams (satellite remote sensing, field plot data, statistics) in novel ways to enhance process understanding related to ecosystem changes and develop/test model capacity;
– provide quantitative analysis related to changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services in context of the groups’ modelling work.
We offer: a multi‐disciplinary, highly collaborative and friendly team, well connected to national and international programs. This position is offered for 2 years in the first place with a salary equivalent to the public service TV-L.
Required qualifications:
– PhD in a natural science subject (atmospheric physics, environmental science, ecology or similar)
– Proven track‐record in advanced scientific programming or quantitative data-analysis
– Above-average publication record; having applied successfully for funding proposals is an advantage
– The appointee must be willing to travel and have very good spoken and written skills in the English language
We prefer to balance the number of female and male employees. Therefore we especially ask female applicants to apply for this job. If qualified, handicapped applicants will be preferred.
Applications, including a CV, description of programming experience, certificates and a letter of motivation, should be sent by email as a single pdf to Prof. Almut Arneth (almut.arneth@kit.edu) by 15.11.2020, quoting the reference number 530/2020.
Incomplete applications or those that do not fit the required profile will not be considered.