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) in paleomagnetism
Reference Number 10675
We seek a highly motivated and enthusiastic geophysicist who wants to develop skills in an interdisciplinary research environment aimed at achieving a comprehensive understanding of geomagnetic field evolution across different timescales, including both stable and extreme periods. This will involve working with data-based models and numerical dynamo simulations. The successful candidate will contribute to studies of time-averaged geomagnetic field morphologies and core dynamics during transitional events. The work involves analysis of numerical dynamo simulations using quantitative metrics derived from the most recent global paleomagnetic reconstructions, and applying data assimilation to recover extreme core dynamics.
Your responsibilities:
- Assessing data-based models of the geomagnetic field over long-time scales, excursions, reversals and time-averaged field
- Development and testing of a data assimilation framework for transitional events
- Assessing available numerical dynamo simulations for Earth-likeness
- Reconstructing the large-scale core dynamics during excursions
- Investigating the obtained core flow reconstructions regarding characteristics, similarities and differences of the studied events
- Exchanging results with the project team and collaborators
- Publication of results in international journals and at conferences
Your qualifications:
- A Master’s degree (or equivalent) and a PhD in geophysics, physics, geosciences or a closely related field
- Experience in data assimilation and numerical simulations
- Knowledge about geomagnetic field evolution (secular variation, reversals, excursions)
- Global geo-/paleomagnetic field modelling expertise is advantageous
- Strong programming skills, preferably in Fortran, Python and/or Matlab, parallel programming
- Experience in international collaboration
- Fluent in English (spoken and written)
- Demonstrated ability to publish in international journals and present at conferences
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
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.
