PhD: Co-designed pathways towards sustainable water futures

PhD candidate

The Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), a scientific organizational entity of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, invites applications for a PhD candidate, starting August 1st, 2023 (or as soon as possible thereafter), in the research project „Co-designed pathways towards sustainable water futures“ as part of a Helmholtz Young Investigator group (HYIG). The position is limited to 3 years and is intended to complete with a PhD.

GERICS develops science-based prototype products and services in support to government, administration and business in their efforts to adapt to climate change. It builds up a national and international network structure in order to integrate existing competences and knowledge, and to link various actors within the complex area of climate change.

The successful candidate will be part of an HYIG in collaboration with the University of Potsdam (the PhD will be awarded by the University of Potsdam). The new group aims to understand better and simulate interactions between human water use and regional climates. The sufficient availability of freshwater is vital to humans, economies, and ecosystems. However, high water demand from industries, households, and agriculture often leads to water scarcity and prevents a fair share of the available resources at the expense of the environment. Global change will further exacerbate water scarcity worldwide. The group’s research will address these issues by bringing together and merging water resources and regional climate modeling guided by the practical challenges experienced by end-users and water managers in various case studies. The successful PhD candidate will support the group’s research by investigating coupled water use-climate impacts within a convection-resolving regional climate modeling system considering various water management aspects.

Equal opportunity is an important part of our personnel policy.

Your tasks

• Assist in expanding and further developing new modeling routines to enhance the representation of water resources within the land component of the regional climate model REMO
• Investigate water use-climate impacts at a convection-resolving scale using the new water management subroutine. Support the implementation, validation and application of different irrigation practices and water allocation assumptions
• Assess uncertainties and analyze sensitivities to different assumptions, parameterizations, and input and forcing data sets. Identify potential needs for model calibration and/or bias correction
• Representation of the group and GERICS at scientific and societal relevant conferences, workshops, and meetings; and compiling scientific publications of the findings in international peer-reviewed research journals
• Support the communication with end-users to foster a better understanding of human-climate-water interactions. That can include the organization of and participation at stakeholder events, end-user workshops, etc.

Informal enquiries can be directed to Peter Greve (peter.greve@hereon.de).

Your profile

• A university degree in meteorology, physics, or other related disciplines in natural sciences or earth sciences is essential
• Willingness and curiosity to learn about the coupled water-human-climate system, (regional) climate models, and different methods to assess and visualize big climate data.
• Background knowledge on global and regional climate modeling and data. Knowledge of hydrological and land surface processes and their interaction with the climate system is benificial
• Background knowledge on impact assessments and human water management under climate and socio-economic change is beneficial
• Experience in Fortran/Python or similar programming languages, handling and analyzing gridded data sets, experience in Linux/Unix computer environments, and experience in statistical analysis and visualization are beneficial
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Willingness to publish the work in peer-reviewed scientific journals and to present the work at scientific and societal relevant conferences, workshops, and meetings
• Willingness to engage in user dialogues, communication with end-users, and capacity-building
• Willingness to engage in international scientific projects and networks such as ISIMIP, EURO-CORDEX
• Willingness to engage within mandatory and voluntary PhD activities at the University of Potsdam
• Willingness to work in an international and interdisciplinary team at the Climate Service Center Germany. Interest beyond the pure scientific analysis of data and processes is expected as the focus of our center is on the provision of decision-making knowledge

We offer

• An exciting and varied job in a research centre with more than 1,100 employees from around 50 nations
• A well connected research campus and best networking opportunities
• Individual opportunities for further training
• Social benefits according to the collective agreement of the public service and remuneration; E 13 (75 %
• An excellent technical infrastructure and modern workplace equipment
• 6 weeks holiday per year and company holidays between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Very good compatibility private and professional life through offers of mobile and flexible work
• PhD Buddy Program
• Free assistance program for employees (EAP)
• Corporate Benefits
• Office location in the heart of the city of Hamburg in the historic Chilehaus

Severely disabled persons and those equaling severely disabled persons who are equally suitable for the position will be considered preferentially within the framework of legal requirements.

Interested?

Then we are looking forward to receiving your comprehensive application documents (cover letter, CV, transcripts, certificates etc.) indicating the reference number

code no. 2023/KG 7 until 24th May, 2023.

Apply now!