The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is the national centre for research into the geosphere. With around 1,650 employees, we develop a sound understanding of systems and processes of the solid Earth as well as strategies and options for action to counter global change, understand natural hazards and sustainably secure energy and raw material requirements.
PhD Position (f_m_x) in Wetland and Forest carbon Monitoring
Reference Number 9723
Are you an innovative mind eager to advance monitoring of important land carbon pools? Are you enthusiastic about using AI to develop novel monitoring tools and products? Join our team!
Your research will contribute to innovative monitoring concepts for rewetted peatlands and forests. Rewetted peatlands have the potential to play a major role in achieving zero emission targets and have been recognized as such by the German National Peatland Protection Strategy. Also, forests represent a major carbon sink but their fate under changing climate is uncertain, which makes a constant monitoring of these ecosystem paramount.
Your work will be positioned at the GFZ Earth-Atmosphere Interactions and the Global Land Monitoring In-Situ groups. Our section emphasizes remote sensing in Earth Sciences and geo- and nature-based solutions. You will be able to collaborate with experts, contribute to an innovative environment, and enhance diverse ideas. Check out our page.
Your research will focus on:
- Exploring new technologies like monitoring lidar, unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) lidar or UAV hyperspectral to monitor the system status of wetlands and forests
- Apply analysis frameworks powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence
- Collaborating with various working groups (remote sensing) within the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) and beyond
- Leveraging extensive expertise and projects within the section to foster an innovative research environment
Your responsibilities:
- Development of a multi-scale monitoring framework for wetland and forest areas
- Integrate and analyse data from multiple sources (lidar, hyperspectral, high resolution RGB)
- Apply and refine ML techniques
- Design and perform experiments, data analysis, and result interpretation
- Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals
- Present research findings at conferences and seminars
- Actively participate in project meetings
- Mentor graduate and undergraduate students
Your qualifications:
- M.Sc. (or nearly completed) in geography, remote sensing, image analysis (or similar)
- Knowledge and experience in lidar data analysis for vegetation
- Experience in the application of ML techniques for remote sensing data analysis
- English is required
What we offer:
- Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
- State-of-the-art equipment
- Public service benefits
- Extensive training opportunities
- Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
- Flexible working hours and conditions
- Support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
- Institute day-care centre on site
- Working at the Albert Einstein science park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
- Work place within walking distance of Potsdam main train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus
Fixed-term: 36 months
Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.
Working hours: Part-time 75% (currently 29.25 h/week)
Place of work: Potsdam
Have we piqued your interest?
Diversity and equal opportunities are integral components of our human resources policy. The GFZ actively promotes diversity and explicitly welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of ethnic and social origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion/belief, age and physical characteristics. Anyone who has been recognised as severely disabled, will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability and qualification in accordance with the provisions of the German Social Code IX. If you have any questions, please contact our Representative Body for Employees with Disabilities at sbv[at]gfz-potsdam.de, who will be happy to assist you in the further application process. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer at gba[at]gfz-potsdam.de.
Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the selection procedure on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 b, Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Art. 26 of the Data Protection Act for the State of Brandenburg. After completion of the procedure, application documents will be deleted in compliance with data protection regulations.
