Postdoktorand*in zur Anpassung in Agrarsystemen (m/f/d)

15.11.2024

Postdoctoral position on Adaptation in Agricultural Systems (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.

For the Research Department 2: Climate Resilience, PIK is offering a

Postdoctoral position on Adaptation in Agricultural Systems (m/f/d)

(Position number: 69-2024 Postdoc Agriculture)

in the field of agricultural science, agricultural modeling and process-based crop modeling, starting as soon as possible.

The position is planned to be funded until the end of the year 2026. Remuneration is in accordance with the German public tariff scheme (TV-L Brandenburg), salary group E 13. This is a full-time position with a weekly working time of 40 hours per week. Appointment is conditional on approval by the funding agency. The position can be filled on a part-time basis.

We are looking for a Postdoctoral researcher to join our team in the field of agricultural adaptation research. We investigate the intersection between climate change and agriculture in a holistic way, aiming to inform adaptation policies and investments for climate-resilient agricultural and food systems. Working together with other researchers, governments, and international organizations primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent, we aim to transform research into high impact publications and user-oriented climate services and policies that enable end-users in partner countries to better adapt agriculture to climate change.

In this role, you will quantify climate change impacts and assess agroecological adaptation measures for agriculture using process-based crop models. A key part of this work will contribute essentially to attribution studies of food insecurity and undernutrition-related climate change impacts on child health. Climate change attribution results that identify and quantify the signature of climate change constitute not only cutting-edge interdisciplinary research but also powerful scientific outputs that may motivate and inform adaptation. Another key responsibility will be the evaluation the effectiveness of agroecological adaptation practices. This position provides the exciting opportunity to address this research gap within a team of experts on climate attribution, health, economics, and agriculture.

Key responsibilities:

• Apply and improve methodologies in the field of impact attribution for quantifying observed and projected climate change impacts on food production and quality, and for assessing the suitability and effectiveness of agroecological adaptation strategies in agriculture with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, using process-based crop models.
• Work closely with climate scientists, health scientists, economists, IT experts and a wider range of researchers from key global insecure regions to develop a digital open-access tool for conducting attribution studies.
• Coordinate and contribute to the implementation of research projects through close collaboration with other researchers at PIK as well as researchers and stakeholders in the partner countries.
• Lead, write, and publish articles in peer-reviewed journals that highlight findings from the research projects and present research findings at international conferences.
• Liaise and maintain communication with project donors, responding to information requests, preparing project progress reports and policy briefs.
• Manage projects, develop new project proposals and apply for funding.
• Support in supervising doctoral students and master students.

Requirements:

• You hold a PhD in a field related to tasks above within the broader theme of agriculture. Examples are Agricultural Science, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, Geoscience or related fields with a quantitative, empirical orientation and fundamental parts of agriculture. Knowledge and work experience in tropical agriculture, sustainable development and/or climate impact analysis is valuable.
• You have profound experience in using process-based crop modelling techniques.
• You have expertise in data analysis, with programming skills in R or Python. Experience with other programming languages, GIS and/or remote sensing are valuable.
• Experience in project management, and development of research proposals is valuable.
• Work experience in LMICs is desirable as well as the willingness to travel to these countries.

We expect:

• You have strong analytical and scientific writing skills and excellent communication skills.
• High interest in teamwork and collaborative research, including supervising PhD students.
• High motivation to work on policy-relevant research topics related to sustainable agriculture and development.
• The ability to work independently.
• You work goal-oriented and on your own initiative.
• A methodical and systematic approach.
• Willingness to travel for work (project meetings, workshops etc.) and take part in further training.
• You are fluent in oral and written English, proficiency in French or other languages is an asset.

We offer:

• Opportunities for cooperation with PIK’s national and international network of leading climate and agricultural research institutes,
• participation in user-driven research projects with international partners,
• guidance and supervision in career development,
• the chance to be part of a creative and interdisciplinary team,
• a 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), 
• a collective pay scheme and associated benefits as well as a subsidized travel card or the 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 by 05.01.2025 directly via our application form below this job advertisement on our website.

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