Job Code: 20/2025
Job offer from December 04, 2025
The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC) in Jena is dedicated to interdisciplinary fundamental research in the field of Earth system sciences with a focus on climate and ecosystems. The internationally renowned institute, which currently employs around 250 people, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022. Jena is known for its high-tech industry, internationally renowned research institutions and a modern university, but it also has a beautiful natural setting in the green Saale valley with steep limestone slopes. The city of Jena has an active student scene and a diverse cultural life. Within the framework of the GENAI-X project, we are looking for a highly motivated PhD Candidate in AI Methods for Hydro-Climatic Extremes (m/f/d) in full-time, fixed-term, 3 years.
Background and position description
Originating in the ELLIS Unit Jena, the research project »AI Generalizability in Non-stationary Environmental Regimes: The Case of Hydro-climatic Extremes (GENAI-X)«, funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung, addresses a fundamental AI challenge: achieving robust model generalizability in non-stationary environmental systems. Focusing on hydro-climatic extremes and their impacts, a multidisciplinary team from Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, the Jena University Hospital, and the Senckenberg Institute for Plant Form and Function jointly develops AI models that function reliably under constantly changing conditions.
Within the framework of the GENAI-X project, we are seeking for a highly motivated PhD candidate (m/f/d) to contribute to the flood-related subproject, which develops hybrid and data-driven approaches with a strong focus on improving the generalization of ML models for flood-related processes under changing climatic and land-surface conditions.
Your tasks
- Develop ML models for dynamic, non-stationary processes relevant to flood occurrence and flood response, with a focus on changing climatic and land-surface conditions.
- Contribute to hybrid model components that combine data-driven methods with hydrologic process representations.
- Improve model generalizability across climatic regimes, including rare and extreme events.
- Quantify flood risk and improve early warning predictability in out-of-distribution conditions (climate change, land cover changes), and use explainable and causal ML to analyse model behaviour and driver effects.
- Support benchmarking activities within GENAI-X and present results in publications and project communication
Your profile
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, Math, Physics, Geoinformatics, or a related quantitative field; applicants from environmental sciences are welcome with strong programming skills (preferably in Python).
- Experience with machine learning for time series, geospatial data or dynamic models; ideally experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch).
- Strong analytical and conceptual skills for designing and interpreting ML experiments in complex environmental settings.
- Self-driven personality able to work both independently and in a team.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
Our offer
The PhD position, conditional on final funding agreement, offers a unique opportunity in the field of data-driven Earth system modelling in close collaboration with domain and machine learning experts. The position is expected to start in April 2026 and will be embedded in collaborations across the ELLIS Unit Jena (https://www.ellis-jena.eu). Part-time work is generally possible. The position will be evaluated and graded following the collective agreement according to TVöD Bund.
The Max Planck Society (MPS) strives for gender equality and diversity. The MPS aims to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. Women are therefore explicitly encouraged to apply. We welcome applications from all fields. The Max Planck Society has set itself the goal of employing more severely disabled people. Applications from severely disabled persons are expressly encouraged.
Your application
For further inquiries, please contact Shijie Jiang (sjiang@bgc-jena.mpg.de). Are you interested? Please send us your application with cover letter, curriculum vitae as well as names and contact information of two references summarised in a PDF file (max. 10 MB) by e-mail to bewerbung@bgc-jena.mpg.de or to the
Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie
Personalbüro: Kennwort “20/2025 ”
Hans-Knöll-Straße 10
07745 Jena
Germany
by January 3, 2026, quoting the reference number 20/2025. We ask that you do not use application folders, but only submit copies, as your documents will be destroyed in accordance with data protection regulations after the application process has been completed. We look forward to receiving your application!
