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International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles

The IMPRS-gBGC located in Jena, Germany, offers fellowships to outstanding students interested in research on biogeochemical cycles in the Earth system. The school provides excellent research possibilities for students to obtain a PhD degree in a 3-years graduate program.

The Research School
Successful applicants will be part of the International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles. Research at the school focuses on the distribution of elements essential to life and the climate among the components of the Earth system and the interaction between biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, land and oceans.
Besides doing research for their PhD project, PhD candidates also benefit from a three-month external research visit, specialised courses in e.g. statistics, Earth observation, modelling and analytical techniques, as well as in soft skills. The school is thus an excellent starting platform for a successful career in a field related to global biogeochemical cycles and Earth System Science.

Open PhD projects related to
Soil like …
* Micropores: from microscale processes to macroscale ore deposits
* Effect of plant diversity on microbial carbon storage
* Role of biopores for fluid flow and matter transport (…)
* Aluminium hydroxide (trans-)formation from primary silicates in acidic soils
Biosphere & Ecosystem like …
* Spectrally highly resolved Raman gas sensing for online monitoring of isotopic tracer experiments
* Carbon sources of microbial communities in pristine aquifers (…)
* Integration of multiple C cycle observations into the land surface model
* Dimensions in trait variability on different spatial scales (…)
* Putting savanna vegetation dynamics in topo-edaphic context
More positions will be announced shortly on the IMPRS-gBGC website

Requirements
We welcome applications from well-motivated and highly-qualified students from all countries. Applicants hold (or are about to receive) a Master of Science, German 'Diplom' or equivalent degree in natural sciences. Proficiency in English is required since English is the official language of the program.
Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications receive preferential status. The Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. There Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

How to apply
Application deadline for these fully funded PhD positions is February 19, 2015. Top candidates will be invited to take part in our selection symposium (April 21-22, 2015).
>> Find out more and apply online: www.imprs-gbgc.de

Project description

We are currently searching for a highly motivated student who would like to explore roles of site scale heteogeneity and event flow on soil organic matter transport and dynamics.
The PhD project is embedded in the BGI soil modelling group at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry and in the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) “AquaDiva – Understanding the links between surface and subsurface biogeosphere”.
The PhD project will focus on the transport of soil organic matter (SOM) across the soil depth profile. The main project aim is to quantitatively describe the transport of SOM across the soil profile and its relations to land use (forest vs. grassland), site scale heterogeneity of water flow, and event flows. You will do model development, which builds on our experiences with the SOMPROF model. You will calibrate the SOMPROF model at forest and at a grassland study site. Further you will develop explicit links to water flow patterns and develop model schemes of event flows. To this end, you will closely collaborate with another PhD student studying hotspots of soil water movement induced by vegetation canopies. By using model data integration with the collected data of water flow hotspots within the sites, you will strive to understand the effects of within-plot heterogeneity on SOM transport. In addition, you will study scaling in order to use the insights about within-plot heterogeneity again at site scale modelling.
The embedding CRC AquaDiva will focus on the important roles of water (Aqua) and biodiversity (Diva) for shaping the structure, properties and functions of the subsurface, defined as the zone that begins below the highest density of plant roots (~0.3 meters) and extends down into the first aquifers (~100 meters). Answering our questions about how the critical zone interacts with matter and energy fluxes requires an interdisciplinary research team that combines expertise in ecology, microbiology, hydrogeology, soil science, geomorphology, geochemistry, geology, geophysics, chemistry and information science.

We are looking for a highly motivated, active member of our group; a team player who works efficient, and is highly interested in interdisciplinary work combining biogeochemistry and hydrogeology. You will be part of a young, dynamic and supportive group, which promotes mutual exchange also with other institutions and early participation in international and national conferences and workshops.

Requirements:
- highly motivated scientist who holds a M.Sc. in soil science, geo-ecology, hydrology or a related field
- experience in programming (python, matlab, R or other script languages)
- motivation to learn about numerical programming and statistics using R,
- willingness to take part in field work
- experiences in dynamical modelling, excellent knowledge of soil organic matter turnover, dissolved organic matter and water movement in the unsaturated zone will be assets.

The place of work is Jena, Germany – a city of science with a high quality of living.

Further information

Salary is based on the guidelines for public service in accordance with pay scale 13 (65%) of the German collective agreement for public service (TVöD). The IMPRS-gBGC office will happily assist you with your transition to Jena.
Successful applicants are expected to join us in October 2013. The position is limited until the 30th June 2017.
The conditions of employment, including upgrades and duration follow the rules of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Sciences and those of the German civil service. The Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply.
A successful candidate for this PhD position is very likely to be admitted into the International Max Planck Research School for Biogeochemical Cycles (www.imprs-gbgc.de).

The Research School

The elements key to life such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen are continuously exchanged among the land, ocean and atmosphere in what are known as global biogeochemical cycles. Research in the IMPRS-gBGC discovers how these cycles function, how they are interconnected, and how they can change with climate or human activity. 
In their thesis projects, students deal with various crucial aspects of global biogeochemical cycles and participate in ongoing research comprising field observations, method development, experiments, and modeling. Students will also benefit from a three-month external research visit, specialised courses in e.g. statistics, Earth observation, modelling and analytical techniques, as well as in soft skills and will have ample opportunity to develop their personal career networks. 
The school is thus an excellent starting platform for a successful career in a field related to global biogeochemical cycles and Earth System Science.

How to apply

Please send a complete CV including certificates, publication list, your contact information, names and contact information of 2-3 referees, and a one-page cover letter stating your qualifications, background and reasons for applying. Please send the information as ONE pdf-file by 18th of August 2013 to Dr. Thomas Wutzler (thomas.wutzler@bgc-jena.mpg.de).