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 PhD Position (f/m/x) on “Urban water demand peaks and water saving behavior under droughts, heatwaves, and compound events” investigates the development of urban water demand peaks under droughts, heatwaves, and compound events, and the role of individual incentives, collective identity, and scarcity awareness to promote water conservation measures. To this end, the position combines econometrics, behavioral science, and natural language processing. The PhD project entails designing and conducting household surveys with the support of a professional survey institute, collaborating with local and national stakeholders, and participating in a research stay at one of our partner institutes.
Your tasks
The successful candidate will:
- investigate the effect of heat waves, droughts, and compound events on urban drinking water demand peaks,
- estimate how awareness of water scarcity influences peak water consumption by private and commercial water users, and
- assess the relationship between individual incentives and collective identity in the willingness to contribute to water-saving initiatives in water scarcity situations.
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
- A master’s degree in behavioral science, econometrics, computational social science or any related discipline
- Knowledge of statistical methods and data handling, preferably using R
- Experience conducting household surveys or online experiments in the behavioral sciences is beneficial
- Knowledge of natural language processing or machine learning methods is beneficial
- Capability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary, international team
- Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English
- Proficiency in German at level B2 or higher
- Commitment to transdisciplinary behavioral science research
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% (25.35 hours/week)
Contract limitations
limited contract / The preferred start date is 01.02.2026, with some flexibility. The working time is 65% (25.35 hours per week). The position is initially limited to 36 months. 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:
Christian Klassert, christian.klassert@ufz.de
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.
