PostDoctoral Scientist (f_m_x)

Area of research:

Scientific / postdoctoral posts

The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is the national centre for geosphere research. As a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres we are part of the largest scientific organization in Germany. With approximately 1,300 employees our key mission is to secure a profound understanding of the systems and processes of solid Earth, to develop strategies and options for action in addressing global change and its impacts on a regional level, to understand natural hazards and to minimize associated risks, to ensure the sustainable provision of energy and raw materials for a high-tech society and to evaluate the influence of human activity on system Earth.

Within the EU HORIZON-INFRA-2021-TECH-01 “DT-GEO” project we aim to deploy a prototype “Digital Twins” (DT) on geophysical extremes consisting of interrelated Digital Twin Components (DTC) dealing with different types of geohazards including natural and anthropogenic induced earthquakes, volcanoes and earthquake-landslide triggered tsunamis. Here, we are looking for a postdoctoral researcher contributing to the development of the DTC related to Anthropogenic Geophysical Extremes Forecasting. The successful candidate will use cross-scale (laboratory / in-situ) and interdisciplinary (seismology / geomechanics / industry) data to develop probabilistic Machine Learning (ML) / Artificial Intelligence (AI)-aided models that help understanding the preparatory process of anomalously large induced earthquakes related to geothermal energy exploitation.

• Use spatio-temporal seismo-mechanical parametric data from laboratory experiments to develop AI/ML-aided regressive/classification probabilistic models allowing to forecast the occurrence and magnitude of (anomalously large) induced earthquakes in geothermal reservoirs.
• Optimize, validate and further develop AI/ML-aided models for in-situ applications using empirical and synthetic data from a set of reference geothermal sites and DT reservoir modeling.
• Collaborate closely in an interdisciplinary context with other researchers working on the DTC development, implementing their feedback into AI/ML forecasting models.
• Creation of open-source software.
• Present, publish (ISI peer-review) and communicate research results at scientific meetings and in scholarly journals.

• Master`s degree and PhD in computer science, geophysics, mathematics or closely related field
• Expertise in several of data science / machine learning / artificial intelligence / big data analysis / parametric time series analysis / statistics / seismology
• Knowledge on development, validation and optimization of ML/AI models (regression, classification, CNN/RNN, transform networks)
• Programming skills (AI/ML programming frameworks, e.g. pytorch or tensorflow, Python, MATLAB, SQL)
• Fluency in English (written/oral)
• Willingness to work in an interdisciplinary and international environment
• Knowledge of HPC, geophysics, seismology, geomechanics or geothermal systems will be considered a strong additional asset

Start date: As of 1st October 2022
Fixed-term: 24 months
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

• 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

If so, we look forward to receiving your application by

. Please use our online application form only.

Diversity and equal opportunities are integral components of our human resources policy. 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. Anyone who has been recognized 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. If you have any questions, please contact our representative for the severely disabled at sbv[at]gfz-potsdam.de, who will be happy to assist you in the further application process. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer at gba[at]gfz-potsdam.de.

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.

In case of any further queries relating to the field of activity, please contact Dr. Grzegorz Kwiatek by email at

  If you have any general questions about the application process, please contact Ms Buge under +49 (0)331-288-28787.

This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. With more than 42,000 employees and an annual budget of over € 5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest scientific organisation.