Research Associate Position (f/m/x) with PhD track: Adaptive and sustainable water resource management

The UFZ

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) with its 1,100 employees has gained an excellent reputation as an international competence centre for environmental sciences. We are part of the largest scientific organisation in Germany, the Helmholtz association. Our mission: Our research seeks to find a balance between social development and the long-term protection of our natural resources.

The job

As part of the upcoming junior research group “[navigate] – water sensitive urban-rural development for resilience in scarcity crises” (2026-2030) we offer three research positions. The junior research group combines excellent inter- and transdisciplinary approaches, including behavioral science, machine learning, and hydro-economic modeling, to understand the conditions under which urban-rural water trade-offs might occur and to identify solutions to enhance resilience. The group develops solutions for the rapidly growing Leipzig-Halle region and its long-distance water supply from Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, learning from the experiences of partner case studies in Santa Cruz in California (Stanford University), Bogotá in Colombia (Universidad de los Andes), and Antony in France (INRAE Paris).

The Research Associate Position (f/m/x) with PhD track on “Adaptive and sustainable water resource management” focuses on resilient and sustainable planning of water supply systems under uncertainty, considering the interactions between urban centers, surrounding regions, and ecosystems. The project combines data analysis, modeling, and participatory approaches to understand and improve decision-making in the face of climate extremes, population growth, and competing water demands. The PhD project includes analyzing current water management practices, exploring future scenarios, and developing strategies for robust and adaptive water supply planning. As part of the project, you will also have the opportunity to complete a research stay at one of our partner institutes.

Your tasks

The successful candidate will:

1. investigate water management practices and decision-making under uncertainty,
2. explore the impacts of extreme weather events on water availability, and
3. develop strategies for sustainable and adaptive water supply planning.

We offer

• Excellent supervision and optimal professional and interdisciplinary qualification through our HIGRADE graduate programme
• The freedom to master even the most demanding challenges between basic research and practical application
• The opportunity to work in interdisciplinary, international teams and benefit from a wide range of perspectives
• Firstclass integration into national and international research networks to work together on global challenges
• Excellent research infrastructure and research data management to optimally support your work
• A wide range of options for balancing care responsibilities and work through our family office
• Competent support and advice for international colleagues arriving at the UFZ from the ‘International Office’
• Special annual payment, capital-forming benefits and subsidised Deutschland-Job-Ticket
• A workplace in a vibrant region with a high life quality and social and cultural diversity

Your profile

• Master’s degree in environmental or water-related or earth system sciences, computational social sciences, or related fields
• Strong analytical skills and experience with statistical methods and data handling; familiarity with Python or R is a plus
• Experience or interest in machine learning, natural language processing, or other data-driven methods is an advantage
• Curious, proactive, and able to work independently as well as in a multidisciplinary, international team
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Interest in research addressing complex societal challenges, sustainability, and resilient water management

Please note that external  persons will also be involved in the selection process for this position alongside UFZ employees.

Place of work

Leipzig, partly remote work is possible

Working time

65%

Contract limitations

limited contract / The preferred start date is 01.02.2026, with some flexibility.The position is initially limited to 9 months and will be followed by an additional regular PhD position of 36 months duration upon positive evaluation. Further extensions within the research group’s five year duration are possible upon mutual agreement with the supervision team.

Salary

Remuneration according to the TVöD public-sector up to pay grade 13 including attractive public-sector social security benefits.

Contact

Your contact for any questions you may have about the job:
Taís Maria Nunes Carvalho, tais-maria.nunes-carvalho@ufz.de

Your application

Please submit your application via our online portal with your cover letter, CV (please omit your photo, age, or marital status) and relevant attachments.

Diversity and Inclusion

The UFZ has a strong commitment to diversity and actively supports equal opportunities for all employees regardless of their origin, religion, ideology, disability, age or sexual identity.
We look forward to applications from people who are open-minded and enjoy working in diverse teams.