PostDoc Position - Resilience enhancement through NBS implementation

The Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), a scientific organizational entity of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, invites applications for a PostDoc Position, starting September 1st, 2025. This 4-year position focuses on developing and testing of archetypes for drought risk cultures followed by a resilience performance modelling framework at the regional and European level. The place of employment is Hamburg.

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 working in different case study in Europe under the frame of the EU Project NBS4Droughts. The primary goal of the project is to systematically demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of wetland-based Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in sustainable water resource management, specifically in mitigating extreme drought impacts, and to accelerate their widespread implementation across Europe. This position offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of resilience research, contributing to scalable and replicable frameworks for drought adaptation and resilience in Europe.

Equal opportunity is an important part of our personnel policy. In principle, the full time position (39 h/week) is also sharable.

Your tasks

• design and implement a modelling framework integrating model and systemic outputs
• develop drought resilience archetypes by analyzing diverse cases based on land use, socio-ecological systems, and trajectories of land and climate change
• utilize a participatory system dynamics modeling to match resilience patterns with best-fit learning cases from various regional contexts in Europe
• develop a resilience performance framework for drought management
• contribute to comparative analysis of drought resilience and risk with and without Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) at regional and continental scales
• support the design of capacity-building activities
• participate in completing deliverables and project reports as well as prepare any other reports as needed
• participate in project meetings and present results at scientific conferences
• publish findings in international peer-reviewed journals

Your profile

• PhD in Geography, Sustainability Sciences, Ecological or Environmental Economics, System Dynamics, or related fields
• proven experience in system modelling, resilience assessment, or climate risk modelling
• familiarity with Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and their role in drought adaptation
• strong analytical skills and proficiency in modelling tools (e.g., GIS, system dynamics, statistical programming)
• strong knowledge of qualitative methods in empirical social research
• experience working in interdisciplinary and international research projects is an advantage
• willingness to conduct fieldwork in Europe for several weeks
• fluency in Spanish and English (oral and written). Knowledge of the German language is an advantage
• strong social, communication, and intercultural skills

For content-related questions, please contact

Dr. Louis Celliers

We offer you

• an exciting and varied job in a research centre with around 1,000 employees from more than 60 nations
• a well-connected research campus (public transport bus) and best networking opportunities
• individual opportunities for further training
• social benefits according to the collective agreement of the public service and remuneration up to pay group 13 according to TV EntgO Bund
• an excellent technical infrastructure and modern workplace equipment
• 6 weeks holiday per year; company holidays between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• very good compatibility private and professional life; offers of mobile and flexible work
• 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. 2025/KG 6 until 17.07.2025.

Apply now!