Post-doctoral position (m/f/d)

29.10.2024

Post-doctoral position on Identification of affected areas (m/f/d)

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

The climate needs bright minds. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) addresses crucial scientific questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. It is one of the world's leading research institutions in its field and offers natural and social scientists from around the world an inspiring environment for excellent interdisciplinary research

In the Research Department Transformation Pathways, we are offering an exciting position within the project Inter-Sectoral Impact Attribution to Climate Change (V-ISI-BLE) to develop and apply cutting-edge methods to identify areas affected by weather extremes in satellite data. We offer a

Post-doctoral position on Identification of affected areas (m/f/d)

(Position number: 60-2024 Identification of affected areas)

in the field of impact attribution, starting as soon as possible.

Background:

Quantifying the contribution of observed levels of climate change to ongoing changes in natural and human systems such as agriculture, forest, coast and cities is essential to better understand societies‘ sensitivities to future climate change, inform climate litigation cases and develop intervention options. The societal impacts of extreme weather events with changing intensities and frequencies present a major component of today‘s impacts of climate change.  However, the attribution of damages, displacement or fatalities associated with weather extremes to long-term climate change is still constrained by the sparse observational data documenting the extent of the areas affected by the hazard. Given new sensors and satellite missions, we aim to derive high quality estimates of areas affected by extreme events such as floods, tropical cyclones or wildfires from remote sensing. The information will be used to evaluate climate impact models that could be used to estimate the change in these areas induced by climate change.

Key responsibilities:

You will strengthen our cross-sectoral impact modeling team by complementing existing fragmented information on the spatial extent of historical events with extents derived by means of state-of-the art remote sensing approaches. Thereby, you will focus on both coastal and inland inundation extents, wildfires, crop failure and tree mortality. You will exploit data products from optical as well as radar systems e.g. from MODIS, Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-3, to build an observation-based dataset of event extents with outstanding spatial and temporal coverage.

Requirements:

We require a PhD in a relevant subject area, e.g. remote sensing, geoinformation, geoinformatics, geoscience, environmental science.

• Understanding in machine learning approaches
• Experience in the analysis of satellite data
• Advanced skills in scientific computing

We expect:

• Ability to work independently and on your own initiative
• Methodical and systematic approach
• Structured and goal-oriented thinking
• Capacity to familiarise yourself quickly with new topics
• Creativity and openness to new approaches
• High level of competence in oral and written English
• Reliability, engagement, and a high level of motivation
• Capacity for teamwork

We offer:

• The chance to work on the forefront of a dynamic research field highly relevant to societal and political processes such as the IPCC assessment cycle,
• The chance to be part of an engaged, interdisciplinary team,
• Stimulating working environment in an internationally recognised research institute on Potsdam's beautiful, historic Telegrafenberg campus, a short commuting distance from Berlin,
• Flexi-time and mobile working (up to 50% of your hours),
• Collective pay scheme and associated benefits as well as a subsidized travel card or Deutschland-Ticket Job.

PIK values equality and diversity. We encourage applications without photo. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of ethnic and social origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, care responsibilities, or age. PIK seeks to increase the share of women in scientific positions and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. In cases of equal qualification and within the given legal scope, women will be given preference. PIK also encourages applications by parents returning from parental leave.

Please apply directly via our application form on our website.

The application process remains open until the position is filled.

If you hold an international higher education qualification, please also submit a certificate evaluation from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) with your application. If you do not yet have a transcript evaluation, please note that you may have to request one if your application is successful. For further information, please visit the website: https://www.kmk.org/zab/central-office-for-foreign-education.html

For further information or to discuss the position please contact Dr. Inga Sauer.