Researcher (m/f/d) MSc or PhD in Ecosystem Modelling

The Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (SGN) is a member of the Leibniz Association and is based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. SGN conducts natural history research with more than 800 employees and research institutions in seven federal states. The Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F) explores the interactions between biodiversity, climate, and society.

The Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Frankfurt am Main seeks to fill a position for the interdisciplinary project MORE STEP - Mobility at risk: Sustaining the Mongolian Steppe Ecosystem:

Researcher (m/f/d) MSc or PhD in Ecosystem Modelling

(full-time position / part time options are available)

The MORE STEP project is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research project of Mongolian and German partners funded by BMBF. The main aim is to bring social and ecological sciences together to identify societal drivers that can lead to an ecological tipping point of the Mongolian steppe ecosystem. The objective is the early identification including possible consequences for nature and society. The project particularly emphasizes the importance of mobility of wildlife and livestock in the context of societal change and seeks to contribute to the sustainable development of the Mongolian Steppe ecosystem.

The applicant for the position here should integrate grazing into the Dynamic Global Vegetation Model LPJ-GUESS in order to assess i.) where grazing by Mongolian gazelles and livestock might be unstainable because too much of the available vegetation productivity is consumed and ii.) how climate change might influence the carrying capacity of the steppe for large herbivores. The applicant can built upon recent model developments for the integration of moving gazelles into LPJ-GUESS (Stratmann et al. 2023, published in Ecology).

Tasks and Responsibilities

• To integrate a simplified livestock module into our coupled vegetation-herbivore model
• To develop scenarios until 2050 for future vegetation change and forage availability under different climate change and grazing scenarios
• To identify areas where climate change might alter the capacity of the steppe to sustain herbivores (wildlife and livestock)
• Contribute to dissemination activities towards policy makers and stakeholders
• Disseminate results in scientific journals and more stakeholder-oriented formats

Your profile

• Master or PhD degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Modelling, Geography, Environmental Physics or related fields
• Strong expertise in computer programming, preferably in C/C++ and R
• Strong expertise in vegetation ecology and statistics
• Experience in ecological or environmental modelling
• Ability and interest to publish scientific papers in international journals
• Ideally research experience in interdisciplinary working environments
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
• High teamwork and communication skills

What is awaiting you?

• An interesting and challenging task in a dynamic and inspiring team of researchers
• The opportunity to apply state-of-art science techniques to a very relevant and applied topic
• Excellent benefits and work-life-balance: Flexible working hours – leave of absence due to family reasons (audit “berufundfamilie”) – parent-child-office – annual special payment – company pension scheme – Senckenberg badge for free entry in museums in Frankfurt – leave of 30 days/year

Place of employment: Frankfurt (Hesse), working hours: full-time position (40 weekly working hours / part time options are available), type of contract: the contract shall ideally start as of November 2023 and is limited until 30 September 2025, salary: according to the collective agreement of the State of Hesse (pay grade E 13, TV-H)

Senckenberg is committed to diversity. We benefit from the different expertise, perspectives and personalities of our staff and welcome every application from qualified candidates, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic or cultural origin, religion and ideology, sexual orientation and identity or disability. Women are particularly encouraged to apply, as they are underrepresented in the field of this position and will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications.

Applicants with disabilities (“Schwerbehinderung”) will be given preferential consideration in case of equal suitability. Senckenberg actively supports the compatibility of work and family and places great emphasis on an equal and inclusive work culture.

Support for international staff: Senckenberg is a globally connected institute. The main working language within Morestep is English. We welcome candidates from all nations and will provide administrative support for your relocation process.

You would like to apply?

Then please send us your complete application documents consisting of

• a one-page cover letter that addresses your fit to the advertised position as described above
• your CV including names and contact details of two professional references
• your academic certificates (Master / PhD certificate)

as one PDF file by 17 October 2023 to recruiting(at)senckenberg.de , quoting the reference number #11-23016, or apply on our homepage using the online application form. Please use this link .

Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

Senckenberganlage 25

60325 Frankfurt a.M.

E-Mail: recruiting(at)senckenberg.de

For scientific enquiries please contact Prof. Dr. Thomas Hickler, thomas.hickler(at)senckenberg.de .

For more information about the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, please visit www.senckenberg.de .