PhD candidate in plant-atmosphere interactions

4 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology

Research Field

Biological sciences » Biology
Environmental science » Other

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Luxembourg

Application Deadline

30 Jun 2024 - 00:00 (Europe/Amsterdam)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

40

Offer Starting Date

1 Jul 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description
Are you passionate about research? So are we! Come and join us

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) active in the fields of materials, environment and IT. By transforming scientific knowledge into technologies, smart data and tools, LIST empowers citizens in their choices, public authorities in their decisions and businesses in their strategies.

Do you want to know more about LIST? Check our website: https://www.list.lu/

Discover our Environmental Research and Innovation department: ERIN Department

Within the ERIN department, the ‘Environmental Sensing and Modelling’ (ENVISION) unit is an interdisciplinary team of 50+ scientists, engineers, post-docs and PhD candidates – structured in three complementary groups focusing on agro-environmental systems research, remote sensing and natural resources modelling, and critical zone research.

Embedded into the ENVISION unit, the ‘Catchment and eco-hydrology’ (CAT) research group has its efforts geared towards a holistic understanding of intrinsically coupled hydrological and human systems. At the CAT group we rely on our competences in hydrology, geochemistry, sedimentology and environmental systems engineering for gaining a better understanding of eco-hydrological processes controlling hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, vegetation and sediment dynamics, pollutant removal, and ecosystem resilience.

How will you contribute?

The quality of weather forecasts, seasonal simulations, and climate projections depends critically on the adequate representation of land-atmosphere (L-A) feedbacks. These feedbacks are the result of a highly complex network of processes and variables related to the exchange of momentum, energy, and mass. Significant challenges persist in understanding processes and feedbacks.

The Land-Atmosphere Feedback Initiative (LAFI) is an interdisciplinary consortium of researchers in Germany and Luxembourg, from atmospheric, agricultural, and soil sciences, bio-geo-physics, hydrology, and neuroinformatics, proposing a novel combination of advanced research methods. The overarching goal of LAFI is to understand and quantify L-A feedbacks via unique synergistic observations and model simulations from the micro-gamma (» 2 m) to the meso-gamma (» 2 km) scales across diurnal to seasonal time scales.

The overall theme of the advertised position will be: "Effect of land-atmosphere coupling on vegetation behaviour". The project will combine experimental work, sensor development and field monitoring to:

Characterise the relevant atmospheric conditions of individual leaves in a wheat and maize canopy

Identify feedbacks between leaf gas exchange and within-canopy microclimate

Formulate a mathematical model of leaf gas and energy exchange in the presence of canopy-air feedbacks

In collaboration with the Material Research and Technology department at LIST, you will develop and test customised sensors to measure the microclimatic conditions of individual leaves within a plant canopy. These sensors, along with other innovative instruments and sensors, will then be deployed at an experimental site of the University Hohenheim in Germany, where the candidate will conduct several field campaigns of 1-2 weeks duration to measure stomatal control on leaf gas exchange and resulting canopy-air feedbacks. Field observations, combining a variety of cutting edge sensing technologies employed by LAFI partners, will be complemented by the candidate's dedicated experiments in the plant biophysics laboratory at LIST and evaluated using open source data science methods. Mathematical modelling will be performed using the programming language Python and specialised open source packages.

Requirements

Research Field

Biological sciences » Biology

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications
Is Your profile described below? Are you our future colleague? Apply now!

Education

• Master (or similar) in plant biology, environmental science/engineering, geo-ecology, or a related discipline
• Excellent skills in scientific writing and presenting (in English)

Experience and skills

• High motivation to perform rigorous research and collaborate in an international setting
• Ability to synthesise knowledge and hypotheses from scientific publications
• Developed critical thinking and engagement in open-minded scientific discussions

• Quantitative data analysis skills
• Experience with plant-related field work is an asset
• Programming skills are an asset (e.g. Python, R)
• Familiarity with version control software (e.g. git) and Open Science approaches is an asset
• Electrical engineering skills are an asset (e.g. source meter / data logger control)

Language skills

• Excellent skills in English: speaking, reading and writing scientific texts

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Research Field

Biological sciences » Biology

Years of Research Experience

None

Additional Information
Benefits
Your LIST benefits

• An organization with a passion for impact and strong RDI partnerships in Luxembourg and Europe that works on responsible and independent research projects
• Sustainable by design, empowering our belief that we play an essential role in paving the way to a green society
• Innovative infrastructures and exceptional labs occupying more than 5,000 square metres, including innovations in all that we do
• An environment encouraging curiosity, innovation and entrepreneurship in all areas
• Personalized learning programme to foster our staff’s soft and technical skills
• Multicultural and international work environment with more than 50 nationalities represented in our workforce
• Diverse and inclusive work environment empowering our people to fulfil their personal and professional ambitions
• Gender-friendly environment with multiple actions to attract, develop and retain women in science
• 32 days’ paid annual leave, 11 public holidays, 13-month salary, statutory health insurance
• Flexible working hours, home working policy and access to lunch vouchers

Eligibility criteria

Your application must include:

• A motivation letter oriented towards the position and detailing your experience
• A scientific CV with contact details
• List of publications (and patents, if applicable)
• Contact details of 2 references

Selection process

Application procedure and conditions

• We kindly request applicants to provide their nationality for statistical purposes only, as part of our commitment to promoting diversity and ensuring equal opportunities in our workforce. This information will be kept confidential and will not be used for any discriminatory purposes.

 

• LIST is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to hiring and retaining diverse personnel. We value all applicants and will consider all competent candidates for employment without regard to national origin, race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, religion, age or disability
• Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled
• An assessment committee will review the applications and select candidates based on guidelines that aim to ensure equal opportunities 
• The main criteria for selection will be the correspondence of the existing skills and expertise of the applicant with the requirements mentioned above

PhD additional conditions:

• Supervisor at LIST: Prof. S. Schymanski
• Work location: Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Belvaux, Luxembourg
• PhD enrolment: University of Luxembourg, Belval in the Doctoral Programme "Complex Systems Science" (https://www.uni.lu/research-en/doctoral-education/dsse/complex-systems-… ) and benefit from a large range of training activities and support beyond the research activities.
• This is a fully paid PhD candidate position in the framework of a newly funded international research unit: "The Land-Atmosphere Feedback Initiative (LAFI)". The LAFI project subscribes to the principles of research integrity within the framework of the FNR funding scheme (FNR Research Integrity Guidelines). These rules rely on the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity and the Montreal Statement on Research Integrity.
• Candidates shall be available for starting their position asap.
• Duration and location of secondment/s: Temporary stays for field work (6 trips, 1 week each) at Uni-Hohenheim are mandatory. Attendance of international conferences and workshops is also envisaged.
• Please note the universities costs are at the charge of the student.
• Your master diploma has to be recognized in Luxembourg. Please refer to:

https://www.uni.lu/en/admissions/diploma-recognition/

https://guichet.public.lu/fr/citoyens/enseignement-formation/etudes-superieures/reconnaissance-diplomes.html

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology

Country

Luxembourg

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://bit.ly/48MJdHi

Contact

City

Esch-Belval

Website

http://www.list.lu/

Street

5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux

Postal Code

L-4362

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED