PhD position (m/f/d) | On the wings of a stork: revealing the dynamics of soaring environments

Job Code: MPI-AB-2024-04

Job Offer from February 27, 2024

The Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior at its sites in Constance and Radolfzell offers an international, interdisciplinary, and collaborative environment that opens up unique research opportunities. The goal of our basic research is to develop a quantitative and predictive understanding of the decisions and movements of animals in their natural environment.

The Department of Animal Migration at the  Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior would like to fill the following positions. The workplace will be in Constance, Germany.

PhD position (m/f/d) - "On the wings of a stork: revealing the dynamics of soaring environments"

We are looking for a candidate investigating the soaring environment of migrating white storks using drones and how soaring flight conditions for large migratory birds vary with time and season. The project studies the migration behaviour of white storks. Storks migrate in a soaring-gliding fashion. That means their flight depends entirely on vertical air currents (thermal updrafts). During soaring-gliding flight, individuals make use of updrafts to fly with minimal movement costs. But these fine-scale updrafts are invisible, dynamic, patchily distributed, and highly unpredictable. The project combines real-life 3D GPS bird tracking and drone and computer vision technology to explore the availability of thermal updrafts. We will use drones to autonomously gather data on terrain, land use, and other environmental factors to explore the dynamic environment that birds fly through.

The PhD candidate will investigate how drones can reproduce bird-inspired 3D flight paths, investigate the use of low-altitude images to understand where thermal updrafts occur, and quantify the spatial and temporal dynamic of thermal updraft availability. The candidate will be involved in different techniques of quantitative data analysis. The ideal candidate should be prepared to conduct research independently and be willing to learn and apply new skills. Experience and interest in fieldwork are very welcome.

The University of Constance and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior together form a thriving research community representing a global hotspot for collective behavior and animal movement research, including the recently awarded Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour. The student will join the International Max Planck Research School for Quantitative Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution (IMPRS-QBEE) , a joint doctoral program between the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Constance.

Would you like to work with a diverse group of scientists to improve wildlife conservation practices? MPG is looking for 1 out of a total of 13 Doctoral Candidates (DC) in the WildDrone project. The WildDrone consortium consists of several Universities and Industry Partners (of which MPG is one). Candidates will join the “WildDrone - Autonomous Drones for Nature Conservation Missions” Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral (MSCD) Network . The aim of WildDrone is to revolutionize wildlife conservation practices using aerial robotics, computer vision, and wildlife ecology unified by use of drones. The candidates will form an interdisciplinary network of researchers working across European and African countries. For more information visit https://wilddrone.eu/recruitment-dc2/ .

The candidate will be involved in different techniques of quantitative data analysis. The ideal candidate should be prepared to conduct research independently and be willing to learn and apply new skills (e.g. in programming (R/Python) or computer vision algorithms). Experience and interest in fieldwork are very welcome. In addition, quantitative skills for analysing spatial and temporal data are required. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in ecology, animal behaviour, zoology, or a related subject. Our working language is English. Non-native speakers need to provide documentation of their English proficiency (C1 level). (German language skills are not a requirement). The project and team are very interdisciplinary. Good organisational and communication skills are required because the candidate must communicate well across scientific fields and project partners.

Additionally, a mobility rule applies. The successful candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their date of recruitment.

The position can be filled as soon as possible, but preferably before September 2024.
Salary consisting of living allowance (EUR 3400*), mobility allowance (EUR 600), family allowance (if applicable, EUR 600). Long-term leave allowance (EUR 4000) and special needs allowance are offered if applicable.

*A country correction coefficient applies to the living allowance in order to ensure equal treatment and purchasing power parity for all researchers. Salary rules apply to the doctoral candidates hosted in the European Union. The Salary is Gross Salary sum before social contributions of the employer and taxes. https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-2-msca-actions_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf

The Max Planck Society endeavors to employ more severely disabled people. Applications of severely disabled persons are expressly welcome. The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. For details see https://www.mpg.de/797963/diversity-inclusion .

The successful candidate will join Collective Migration group (Flack flock - https://www.ab.mpg.de/flack ), led by Dr. Andrea Flack at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Constance. We are a young, small group that explores the elements that shape migratory decisions of long-distance migrants. To do this, we use state-of-the-art high-resolution biologging in combination with experimental approaches in the field.

Constance is a vibrant small city located on the border between Germany and Switzerland, on the shores of the Bodensee (Lake Constance). It is easy to get out into the beautiful German and Swiss countryside and the Alps, as well as to neighboring Zurich.

Are you interested? Then we are looking forward to receiving your application until March 25, 2024 through our Online-Portal .

Please include the following documents:

• Letter of motivation / research statement (2 pages) addressing the following points:
  • Describe your main scientific interests, how they developed, and how they relate to the proposed research project.
    Explain what scientific questions most motivate you and why.
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Academic transcripts for your BSc and MSc degrees (can be unofficial at this stage – official records will be required before acceptance)
• Contact information for 2-3 personal reference.
• A sample of your scientific writing (e.g. publication or manuscript in prep, thesis, term paper, etc.)

Questions about this position should be addressed to Dr. Andrea Flack [email protected] .