Research Assistant / Doctoral Researcher in Modelling in the Soil-Plant System (m/f/d), EG 13 TV-H, EG 13 TV-H, part-time (currently 30 hours per week)

This is a part-time position with 75 percent of the working hours of a full-time employee. This is a fixed term-position of three and a half years subject to funding approval with the opportunity of obtaining a doctoral degree in the field of geosciences (§ 2 Abs. 2 Abs. WissZeitVG).

Climate change affects the functiong of agricultural soils, particularly their filtering, buffering, and production functions. In order to evaluate climate change and its effects on soil functions and groundwater, approaches are needed to transfer laboratory findings to the landscape level using process modeling in order to develop management options for adapted and optimized water management. Soil plays an essential role as a reactor in influencing the environmental behavior of substances.

Two model classes can be identified to describe these processes. On the one hand, there are well-tested agroecological models that can be used to model dynamic plant growth in coupled to soil hydrological processes. Examples of established models include Expert-N, DSSAT, APSIM, and DAISY. On the other hand, there are coupled mechanistic models for describing unsaturated water flow and biogeochemical reactions, such as the well-tested Hydrus-PhreeqC model.

While individual model improvements, such as improved root water uptake and description of soil hydraulic properties, are relatively easy to achieve, the integration of more computationally intensive processes such as reactive transport into soil zone flow models without compromising prediction quality is more complicated. This requires new approaches, e.g., to test machine learning-based surrogate models as an efficient alternative.

Tasks:

• Analysis of the effects of extreme weather events and irrigation on soil functions, in particular the filtering and buffering functions and the production function.
• Modeling irrigation scenarios in small river basins and predicting the spread of pollutants in agricultural soils using Expert-N.
• Evaluation of experimental data using reactive transport modeling to quantify pollutant transport in agricultural soils.
• Development of a surrogate model for modeling reactive mass transport processes and implementation in Expert-N.
• Close collaboration with soil scientists and hydrologists in Kassel

Requirements:

• Completed university degree in mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science, agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, biology, or related disciplines. The required degree must be obtained by the date of employment at the latest.
• Very good written and spoken English skills

Beneficial additional qualifications:

• Knowledge of mathematical modeling of physical, chemical, and/or biological processes
• Knowledge of numerical simulation and/or surrogate modeling using machine learning
• Knowledge of statistics, particularly in the estimation of model parameters and Bayesian statistics
• Basic understanding of agricultural sciences and soil science/hydrology

Applicants are requested to submit a single PDF file containing:

Your motivation for applying to the position and your research interests (max. 1 page, written in English)

Curriculum vitae (written in English)

Copy of transcript(s)

Proof of at least 2 references is required

Further information may be found on the project website https://www.uni-kassel.de/go/adapt, and/or please contact Prof. Dr. Tobias Weber, E-Mail: tobias.weber(at)uni-kassel.de.

In the event of any differences between the German and English versions of this call for application, the German wording is legally binding.

Our Offer:

As an employee of the University of Kassel

• you will be offered an interesting and diverse range of tasks within the framework of a modern and ambitious university,
• you will be part of an interdisciplinary team with a good and collegial working atmosphere,
• you will have the opportunity to participate in professional and interdisciplinary further education measures,
• is your workplace with good connections to public transport, which you can currently use free of charge.

In addition, you will benefit from the advantages of employment in the public service such as:

• an additional company pension (VBL),
• an optional child supplement in accordance with TV-Hessen, a family-friendly university (including childcare for emergencies),
• an annual bonus
• an entitlement to capital-accumulation benefits,
• a promotion of voluntary commitment,
• low-cost participation in university sports and a full range of fitness activities as part of Unifit, as well as workplace health management

You can find more jobs at stellen.uni-kassel.de

Please send your application with the usual informative documents, stating the reference number in the subject line, via the online form. We have compiled further information for you in our FAQ.

In exceptional cases, we will also accept your application documents in paper form addressed to: The President of the University of Kassel, 34109 Kassel, Germany, or via mail to bewerbungen[at]uni-kassel.de, stating the reference number.

In the case of postal applications, please submit only copies of your documents (no folders), as these cannot be returned. All documents will be destroyed after completion of the selection process in compliance with data protection regulations.

The protection of your personal information is very important to us, so we will handle your personal information with care. By your application, you allow us the storage and use in the sense of the Hessian Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act. You can object to this at any time. Your personal data will be deleted.

Information according to Art. 13 DSGVO for the application process at the University of Kassel can be found at:
www.uni-kassel.de/go/ausschreibung-datenschutz

Information and FAQ about applying for a job offer:

https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/universitaet/stellenangebote/hinweise-und-faq-zur-bewerbung-auf-ein-stellenangebot

The University of Kassel is very interested in the professional satisfaction of its employees. It is distinguished as a family-friendly university and, in the interests of equal opportunities, strives to offer everyone the same opportunities for development and to counteract existing disadvantages. It promotes the Family Welcome Service and also the Dual Career Service for positions that are scientifically and academically filled. One of the strategic goals of the University of Kassel is to significantly increase the proportion of women in research and teaching. Applications from women are therefore particularly welcome. Seriously handicapped and equivalent applicants are given preference if they have the same suitability, qualifications and professional performance. Full-time positions are generally divisible (except when filling civil servant positions). Applications indicating the Position Number, which may be in digital form, should be sent to the President of the University of Kassel, 34109 Kassel, Germany quoting the applicable reference number.