About us:

The unit of Physical Geography and Earth System Interactions at LMU’s Department of Geography investigates the interactions between ecosystems and climate, and how these are altered by the anthropogenic use of land. Our group develops and applies the latest generation of carbon, vegetation and Earth system models and integrates them with observations. The team is strongly involved in large national and international collaborations such as the Global Carbon Project, CMIP, IPCC, CDRterra, several Horizon Europe projects and the national Earth System Modeling Strategy (natESM).

We are looking for you:

Doctoral researcher modeling the climate change mitigation potential of peatland rewetting (m/f/x)

in Munich

Your tasks and responsibilities:

We are seeking highly motivated candidates for the newly established Collaborative Research Center “WETSCAPES2.0,” funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). WETSCAPES2.0 combines expertise from University of Greifswald, University of Rostock, the IGB Berlin, GFZ Potsdam, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, the MPI for Biogeochemistry Jena and the Humboldt-University Berlin. Focus of WETSCAPES2.0 is the functional understanding of rewetted fens, including coastal peatlands, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The rewetting of previously drained and often agriculturally used fens results in the development of novel ecosystems that differ from natural peatlands and are largely unexplored. The planned monitoring, experimental and modeling research emphasizes biogeochemical, hydrological and biological processes, focusing on water and matter fluxes within and beyond the peat body and their associated microbiological and biological drivers. In addition to site-level studies, the role of rewetted fens in the broader landscape is investigated.

Doctoral researchers will gain insights into multiple aspects of this interdisciplinary project, building comprehensive knowledge of WETSCAPES2.0's research themes and specialized expertise in their chosen topic. The integrated research training group “WETSKILLS” provides structured doctoral training, preparing participants for excellent career opportunities in academia and industry.

For more details about the overarching research questions, specific topics, training program and contact persons please visit here.

YOUR TASKS:

• Implement new plant functional types in  JSBACH by incorporating data on peat-specific vegetation dynamics and integrate hydrological data to simulate peat rewetting,
• Evaluate updated model using observational data from WETSCAPES2.0, focusing on vegetation growth, CO2 fluxes, and energy balance,
• Assess impacts of the vegetation changes associated with peatland rewetting on the carbon cycle and climate,
• Publish results in internationally renowned scientific journals and achieve a doctorate.

Your qualifications:

• M.Sc. degree (or equivalent) in geography, geoecology, physics or another related discipline by the time employment starts,
• good programming skills (such as fortran, python),
• excellent communication skills in English (our working language),
• ability to work independently with a hands-on mentality, team spirit, helpfulness and reliability.
• training or experience in atmosphere, vegetation or climate modeling is advantageous, but not essential.

Benefits:

• the chance to be part of a dynamic team working at the frontier of climate science,
• A 65% E13 TV-L position, subject to the allocation of funds and commensurate with work experience, for 45 months starting April 2025 or soon thereafter,
• career development through the LMU qualification program,
• a stimulating working environment at one of Germany’s top-ranked universities, in the vibrant and internationally diverse city of Munich.
• our institute is located in the centre of Munich with excellent public transport links.

People with disabilities who are equally as qualified as other applicants will receive preferential treatment.

Contact:

Please send an application outlining your fit for the position (including a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, copies of scientific degrees, and the names and contact information of two references) by e-mail (one PDF-attachment with max. 5MB only including all documents) with subject "WETSCAPES-2025" to climate.jobs@geographie.uni-muenchen.de. Deadline for application is February 17, 2025. For further information please contact Prof. Dr. Julia Pongratz (julia.pongratz@lmu.de) or Dr. Wolfgang Obermeier (wolfgang.obermeier@lmu.de).

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