GFZ is Germany's national centre for solid Earth research. We advance the understanding of dynamic processes to address global challenges, from mitigating the impacts of natural hazards and sustaining our habitat amid global change to responsibly managing georesources. We are part of the Helmholtz Association, the largest German scientific organisation. With around 1,200 employees as well as ca. 500 guest researchers, we contribute to the Helmholtz Research Field Earth and Environment, aligning cutting-edge research with societal relevance and international collaboration. Our work integrates multidisciplinary studies across Earth's system components, leveraging advanced technologies and infrastructure to research solutions and to transfer our knowledge to society. We are doing this according to our vision: “Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet”.
Postdoctoral researcher (f_m_x) - Data-driven Analysis of Complex Systems
Reference Number 10580
The Department Geoinformation is combining research data management, information management and IT with research in data science. Towards this goal, a Section 5.4 Data Science is currently being developed. The section will serve as a central competence centre for data science and data-driven methods for Earth system sciences.
Your responsibilities:
- Develop data-driven methods for analysis of complex systems, in particular towards the identification of regime trends and tipping points
- Deduce hypothesis on the principles of system evolution and development
- Build computational models to study hypotheses
- Validate models via targeted simulation, sensitivity analysis and exploration
- Apply methods to problems in geosciences, in particular bio-/geochemical cycles
Your qualifications:
- A master's degree (or equivalent) and PhD in Mathematics/Statistics/Data Science
- Research expertise in the analysis of complex systems
- Familiar with network analysis, concepts of resilience (e.g. adaptive cycle) and system transitions (e.g. self-organised criticality, critical transitions, catastrophe theory)
- Experience in modelling, simulation and analysis of models using various small-scale modelling approaches (e.g. ODE/PDE-Modelling, Agent Based Modelling)
- Experience in mathematical analysis of data-driven methods
- Solid experience in programming (R, Matlab, Python, etc.)
- Competence in working in inter-disciplinary teams
- Fluent in English
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: 3 years
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: Full-time (currently 39 h/week); The position is generally suitable for part-time work.
Place of work: Potsdam
Have we piqued your interest?
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. We also promote an inclusive working environment in which everyone can fully develop their own talents. 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. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer.
“Diversity in perspectives” is one of GFZ's core values. As an integral part of supporting diversity at our centre, we actively promote women in science and in leadership positions. We among others do this through our gender equality plan and the cascade model measures which we actively implement to enable sustainable equal opportunities in academic career paths. The GFZ thus committedly strives for gender equality in science, including in leadership positions, and strongly encourages women to apply.
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.
