PhD Paleoclimate and palaeovegetation data analysis

The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) is a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF) and funded by federal and state government. AWI focuses on polar and marine research in a variety of disciplines such as biology, oceanography, geology, geochemistry and geophysics thus allowing multidisciplinary approaches to scientific goals.

PhD Position "Paleoclimate and palaeovegetation data analysis" (m/f/d)

Background

Natural climate and vegetation variability on decadal to centennial time scales is currently not well constrained and existing climate models appear to be too stable in magnitude as well as in the response of climate and vegetation variability to mean climate and vegetation changes.

This PhD project will quantify the decadal to centennial variability of climate and vegetation. This requires the development of a better understanding about how plant-based proxies such as pollen assemblages and tree-rings record environmental changes, and the synthesis and analysis of instrumental observations and paleo-environmental observations using advanced statistical methods and proxy system modelling.

The position is part of our recruiting initiative AWI INSPIRES - INternational Science Program for Integrative Research in Earth Systems. AWI INSPIRES aims at strengthening our new research program “Changing Earth, Sustaining our Future”. Details about all open positions and the general application requirements can be found at

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Tasks

You will

• compile and analyze the latest terrestrial paleoenvironmental datasets in particular pollen and tree-rings;
• analyse the transfer function between climate and vegetation parameters and these biological proxies;
• develop and use proxy system models to match model outputs with proxy-based estimates;
• derive the fingerprint of decadal to centennial climate and vegetation variability at different spatial scales;
• contribute in closing the current gap between simulated vs. observed natural climate and vegetation variability; and
• work closely with three other PhD students approaching this challenge from palaeofire data, marine data and the climate modelling side.

Requirements

• Degree (Master’s, Diploma) in climate sciences, physics, geoscience, biology or a related field.
• Interest in statistical data analysis.
• Previous experience with (paleo) climate research and terrestrial paleoclimate proxies is an advantage.
• Experience in data-science and in R or Matlab programming is a benefit.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken.

Further Information

For further information please contact
Prof. Dr. Thomas Laepple
(Thomas.Laepple@awi.de, +49(331)288-2159) or
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Herzschuh
(Ulrike.Herzschuh@awi.de, +49 ( 0) 331 288 2165).
The position is limited to 3 years pending final approval of funding. The salary will be paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federation (Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes, TVöD Bund), up to salary level

13 (66%).
The place of employment will be
Potsdam
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All doctoral candidates will be members of AWI’s postgraduate program
and thus benefit from a comprehensive training program and extensive support measures.

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 are an integral part of our personnel policy and 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”.

We look forward to your application!

Please forward your application with letter of motivation explaining why you want to join one of our research areas, two letters of recommendation and a list of publications by

February 16
th
, 2020
exclusively online.
Selected candidates will be invited to present their research ideas and motivation during the “Annual recruitment days”, planned from 16 to 24 March 2020 in Bremerhaven, Germany.

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