Stellenangebot / Job offer
PhD position in the field of coastal ocean heat waves
The Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon in Geesthacht, near Hamburg, Germany, invites applications for a PhD position starting as soon as possible, in the field of coastal ocean heat waves, their large-scale drivers and their seasonal and sub-seasonal prediction applying machine learning algorithms.
The position is part of the project Projekt NECO „Naturgefahren und Reaktion des marinen Ökosystems – Kausalzusammenhang und Vorhersagbarkeit“, which is framed by the bilateral program between China and Germany MARE:N „Ozeane unter Stress“. The project aims to identify climate drivers and processes responsible for coastal heat waves and their impacts on plankton composition and algae blooms in shallow seas of Northern Europe and China. The position is hosted by Climate Extremes and Impacts group, led by Dr. Birgit Hünicke. The candidate will also work under Dr. Eduardo Zorita’s supervision at the Hereon Research Centre. The resulting PhD thesis will be defended at the University of Hamburg and the candidate will be part of the graduate school SICCS of that university. We are looking for an excellent and highly motivated PhD student for 3 years.
Your tasks:
The candidate will be mainly responsible for designing and applying machine learning algorithms that allow the prediction and causal understanding of marine heat waves in these areas on time scales of a few weeks-months. The work requires a background and interest in statistical climatology, climate and ocean dynamics, and familiarity with handling large climate data sets from observations and climate simulations. Previous experience with machine-learning methods and Python programming will be a clear advantage.
Your profile:
- university degree in meteorology/oceanography, applied mathematics, physics or a related scientific field (e.g., geophysics or earth system science)
- strong interest in climate extreme events, climate modeling, and ocean and atmospheric dynamics
- interest and previous knowledge of data analysis and statistics
- experience in machine learning techniques and Python programming
- ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written English
- strong motivation to publish in peer-reviewed journals, present scientific results at international conferences, and complete a PhD thesis
