Job vacancy at Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute
Institute for Climate Smart Agriculture of the Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries Braunschweig- Germany
A position for Scientist in ecosystem modeling with background in soil science or similar is to be filled as soon as possible on a 2 year fixed-term basis within the FACCE Joint Programming Initiative knowledge hub MACSUR (Modelling European Agriculture with Climate Change for Food Security).
Research will focus in large scale modeling of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of agro-ecosystems and its dynamics related to natural and anthropogenic impacts with process based and data driven models. A significant focus of the position is the pre-processing of data sets, the development of sub-models and new routines within existing SOC models and the collaboration in the development of an integrative model environment within a scientific modeling group.
The detailed tasks are:
- Searching, acquiring geospatial data to run and validate SOC models
- Quantifying the uncertainties of selected SOC models (e.g. RothC, CCB, ICBM)
- Error propagation in the application of regionalized initialization data and driver data in SOC models
- Scenario-based modeling and sensitivity analysis of soil carbon models and data
- Implication of model uncertainties in the risk assessment of food security under climate change conditions
- Organizing a scientific workshop on European SOC data harmonization
We expect:
- University level (diploma, M.Sc.) in geography, geoecology, agriculture or comparable preferably complemented a PhD degree
- Expertise in statistical and process based modeling of SOC and its land use dependency either on national or on European scale
- Extensive experience in the application of ecosystem models
- Good expertise and interest in process based SOC modeling
- Routine use of data bases, spatial data, and geographic information systems (ArcGIS, GRASS,PostGIS)
- Profound knowledge of computer languages, such as C++, or Python
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Enthusiasm, independence and target orientation
- Good team player and communication skills
We offer:
- Responsibly creative collaboration in a topical and central working field of European soil research
- Dynamic and interesting work
- Good work atmosphere in a dynamic team
Closing date for application is the 21st of May 2013.
