Post Doc Position - Sustainable Development of Timber as a Construction Material

Your Job:

The position is embedded in the collaborative project “Naturally grown timber elements as basis for load-bearing building structures – structural analysis and growth simulation”, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

• You will perform experiments and analyze data how woody plants adapt their anatomy and optimize growth under the influence of environmental conditions such as drought, heat and wind
  
• Generate knowledge for a better understanding on biophysical principles of load-bearing wooden structures
  
• Apply modern tomographic technologies (MRI / CT) and use mathematical tools, computer programming and quantitative approaches
  
• You will be working in a project that span multiple disciplines, including architecture and engineering
  
• Publishing the scientific results in international journals and travel to national and international conferences
  

Your Profile:

Required applicant Profile: Master and PhD degree in Agriculture, Forestry, Plant Biology, Engineering, related natural sciences.

Desired attitude and skills:

• Self-motivated, curious and collegial
  
• Creative problem solver
  
• Interest in cross-disciplinary cooperation and application
  
• Good knowledge of woody plant eco-physiology, especially in relation to wood development and anatomy
  
• Experience conducting plant experiments in greenhouses or other growth conditions
  
• Good understanding of biomechanics
  
• Knowledge of tomographic technologies
  
• Programming skills, preferably in Phyton and / or statistical language R
  
• Preparation of data and scientific interpretation of results, independent presentation of results at scientific conferences and collaboration on scientific publications
  
• Excellent written and spoken English/German
  

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• A large research campus with green spaces, offering the best possible means for networking with colleagues and pursuing sports alongside work
  
• Possibility to develop an own scientific profile in the topic
  
• An excellent environment to perform cutting-edge research at an international level
  
• World-class infrastructure and expertise in plant phenotyping
  
• Developing the potential of our employees is important to us, which is why we offer individual professional development opportunities
  
• Ideal conditions for balancing work and private life, as well as a family-friendly corporate policy supported by our Equal Opportunities Bureau
  
• Flexible working hours in a full-time position with the option of slightly reduced working hours
  
• 30 days of annual leave and provision for days off between public holidays and weekends (e.g. between Christmas and New Year)
  
• Targeted services for international employees, e.g. through our International Advisory Service
  
• Exploration and preparation of next career opportunities, supported by our Career Center & Postdoc Office: https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/career-center-postdoc-office
  

We offer you an exciting and varied role in an international and interdisciplinary working environment. The position is initially for a fixed term of 1,5 years. Salary and social benefits will conform to the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund), pay group 13, depending on the applicant’s qualifications and the precise nature of the tasks assigned to them.

In addition to exciting tasks and a collaborative working atmosphere at Jülich, we have a lot more to offer: https://go.fzj.de/benefits

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.