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.

Throughout Earth's history, geodynamic processes have driven atmospheric CO₂ fluctuations, playing a major role in long-term climate change. Continental rifts, in particular, activate vast, deep carbon reservoirs, contributing significantly to natural CO₂ emissions. However, due to incomplete records of past rift activity, modeling the influence of rifting on the long-term carbon cycle remains a challenge. As part of the ERC Consolidator project EMERGE, this doctoral project aims to bridge this gap by linking measurements and models of rift-related CO₂ degassing. The initial objective is to incorporate geological records of Phanerozoic rifting events into a comprehensive global database through analysis of tectonic reconstructions and the development of automated geoinformation workflows. These findings will then feed into biogeochemical carbon cycle models, enabling interpretations in relation to paleoclimate proxy data.

Your responsibilities:

• Assemble information on deep-time rift events and their geodynamic characteristics
• Create possible scenarios of rift-related CO2 emissions over time - first for individual rifts, then globally
• Conduct biogeochemical carbon cycle models for several scenarios and interpret results in relation to available proxy data
• Collaborating with members of the EMERGE project
• Potentially co-supervise Master students
• Interact with colleagues in the Geodynamic Modelling Section at group meetings, workshops and in other informal ways
• Presentation of results at scientific meetings and in peer-reviewed publications
• Voluntary participation in the project’s field trips to sites in East Africa and Europe 

Your qualifications:

• Master`s degree (or equivalent) in Earth Sciences or related field
• Broad knowledge of geophysics, geodynamics, geology and Earth System sciences
• Basic knowledge of programming (Python, C++)
• Basic knowledge of model visualization
• Experience in computational modelling 
• Ability to work in a collaborative and multi-disciplinary environment
• Creativity and critical thinking skills
• Capacity for international teamwork, and excellent communication skills
• Proficiency in spoken and written English