PhD Position

The Junior Research Group Ecological Novelty at the University of Göttingen seeks a highly motivated and qualified candidate for a

• PhD Position
• on forest dynamics in permafrost regions

with 65 % of a full position. Regular working hours are currently 25.87 hours per week. This position should be filled by 01 February 2027 and is available for three years. Salary: Pay grade E13 TV-L.

The boreal ecosystems in the permafrost-region are changing rapidly and in highly variable ways between regions. Treelines are shifting, vegetation is greening or browning, shrub and deciduous cover is expanding, and forests are retreating to wetlands or steppe. Drivers include changing fire, insect, grazing, and logging regimes, shifting precipitation, and altered ground conditions following thermokarst and abrupt thaw. Yet how these changes affect the vegetation–carbon–climate feedback remains poorly understood and climate models largely fail to predict these processes.

• You will join the newly established Junior Research Group Ecological Novelty in the Department of Conservation Biology, which studies how transforming boreal and Arctic ecosystems are reshaped, combining process-based modelling, satellite and airborne remote sensing, and field campaigns. The precise research questions will be developed together with the successful candidate, building on their background and strengths.
• The goal is to combine process-based modelling (e.g., CryoGrid) with field and Earth observation data across the grass-shrub-tree continuum and its ongoing shifts, to derive transferable parameterizations for the land-surface and Earth system models that project permafrost carbon emissions and climate feedbacks. A strong remote-sensing or ecology profile is advantageous, for example by deriving model-relevant variables from satellite and airborne data, or through data-model integration and assimilation.

• Your tasks
• Develop and carry out a focused PhD project within the group's research focus, in close discussion with the group leader;
• Develop, test, and apply vegetation, energy-balance, and coupled ground schemes in permafrost models, and/or integrate remote-sensing and field data to constrain and evaluate them;
• Publish peer-reviewed papers and present at international conferences.
• Potentially take part in field campaigns, contribute to teaching and the co-supervision of BSc and MSc students;

• Your profile
• MSc in Physical Geography, Environmental or Earth System Sciences, (Geo)informatics, Scientific Computing, Physics, Ecology or a related field;
• A strong quantitative background and advanced skills in Python or an equivalent programming language;
• Experience with numerical modelling and/or the analysis of large geospatial datasets and/or ecological data analysis;
• A genuine interest in boreal and Arctic ecosystems;
• Experience with fieldwork in remote areas is an advantage, as is a realistic understanding of the challenges this entails;
• The ability to work both independently and as part of an international, interdisciplinary team, aware of the importance of participation, diversity, and equal opportunities;
• Excellent written and spoken English.

• We offer
• Freedom to shape your own research project in a young group that works in an international and interdisciplinary network;
• Integration into a well-established international modelling, remote-sensing, and field network;
• The research environment of the University of Göttingen, a hub of environmental research with strong networking across Biology, Agricultural Sciences, and Forestry, in a city with a high quality of life;
• Employment with all the benefits of the German public service.

• The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities will be given preference. A disability or equality is to be included in the application in order to protect the interests of the applicant.
• Application

Please send your application as a single combined PDF to [email protected] by the application deadline of 15 November 2026, consisting of a motivation letter including relevant experience and first ideas for your direction, a CV (with publication list if applicable), copies of academic certificates, a short writing example (e.g. part of an MSc thesis), and contact details of two referees. For inquiries about the job posting, please contact [email protected].

• Please note:
• With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo