PhD Student (f/m/d) Land Use and Governance

The mission of the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) as a nationally and internationally active research institute is to deliver solutions for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture – together with society. ZALF is a member of the Leibniz Association and is located in Müncheberg (approx. 35 minutes by regional train from Berlin-Lichtenberg). It also maintains a research station with further locations in Dedelow and Paulinenaue.

The Research Area 2 "Land Use and Governance" is offering a PhD position in the working group "Sustainable Grassland Systems“ in the FNR funded joint research project: Networking of climate and nature conservation with strategies for the biomass utilization of paludicultures and peatland photovoltaics; (PaludiLab). Sub-project 1: Hydrology in combination with biomass under PV systems. PaludiLab aims to set up landscape laboratories in typical and representative peatland agricultural landscapes in Germany, in which innovative and complex measures in the landscape context can be developed, tested, demonstrated and implemented as models. These landscape laboratories are located in Schleswig-Holstein (Lottorf), Lower Saxony (Rastede), Brandenburg (Rhin-Havelluch) and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Ostzingst). In addition to a range of peatland rewetting strategies, the ecosystem services of landscape sections are also systematically included and analyzed. The overarching goal of the joint project is to achieve an economically viable combination of income sources biogas, peat substitute and electricity production to demonstrate a sustainable and long-term economic basis for the rewetting of moorland areas. In addition to practical partners, the project is being carried out in the landscape laboratories together with the universities of Potsdam, Rostock and Göttingen.

Subject to final approval of funds, we are offering a 65% (26 hours per week) position from 1st of October or later for 3 years at our location in Paulinenaue as

Your tasks:

• sampling and analysing  biomass yields and soil data at four moor sites in Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg
• data evaluation of lysimeters to record the soil water balance at all four sites
• assessment of biomass formation under photovoltaic systems on rewetted peatlands in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony
• model simulation of plant growth under photovoltaic systems based on LIDAR remote sensing data
• statistical analysis of the interactions between water regime and the covering of plant stands with photovoltaic systems
• publication of the results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presentation at scientific conferences

Your qualifications:

• Master in Agricultural Sciences
• willingness to undertake extensive field work
• statistical and quantitative assessment skills
• knowledge of the reactions of peat ecosystems to changing environmental factors
• knowledge of nature conservation-oriented management methods for peat areas
• knowledge about the appropriate management of peat soils and suitable measures for their protection
• scientific and applied experience at the interface between ecological and economic peatland management
• knowledge in the field of grassland science, stocktaking and vegetation
• experience in project work in terms of peatland sciences
• good teamwork skills with a willingness to work across disciplines
• as international research facility based in Germany, we require good to very good written and spoken English skills

What we offer:

• interdisciplinary work environment that promotes independence
• opportunity to work with leading national and international scientists and networks
• strong institutional commitment to work-life balance
• classification according to the collective agreement of the states (TV-L) EG 13 with 65% weekly working hours (including annual bonus)
• a collegial and open-minded working atmosphere in a dynamic research facility
• company ticket
• In-house language courses in German and English

Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Applications from severely disabled persons with equal qualifications are favored. The filling of the position in part-time is possible in principle. Please send your application preferably online (see button online application below). For e-mail applications, create a PDF document (one PDF file, max. 5 MB; packed PDF documents, archive files like zip, rar etc. Word documents cannot be processed and therefore cannot be considered!) with the usual documents, in particular CV, proof of qualification and certificates, stating the reference number 69-2024 until 19. August 2024 to (see button e-mail application below).

https://jobs.zalf.de/jobposting/04da6a4a13e297b7c48893ed6f0decefe52369440

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: Prof. Dr. Frank Eulenstein, feulenstein(at)zalf.de

For cost reasons, application documents or extensive publications can only be returned if an adequately stamped envelope is attached.

If you apply, we collect and process your personal data in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of the EU GDPR only for the processing of your application and for purposes that result from possible future employment with the ZALF. Your data will be deleted after six months.