The junior research group "Organismic Biogeochemistry" at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry offers a :

PhD position in forest ecology and modeling

This position is offered in a DFG-Project within the framework of the Biodi-versity Exploratories (http://www.biodiversity-exploratories.de/). It will (1) in-vestigate the relationships between forest diversity and carbon cycling under gradients of forest management and deer browsing and (2) explore the rele-vance of tree traits and trait correlations therein. The main research tool will be a coupled forest succession-carbon cycling model. The work will involve model development, extensive model parameterization using forest inventory datasets and limited additional field campaigns. It will be supported by a half-time scientific assistant. There will be a close collaboration with three partner PhD-projects within the Biodiversity Exploratory additional modeling compo-nent (BEAM).

The applicants should have a background in ecology, forestry or environ-mental sciences, strong quantitative skills, proven programming experience and the ambition to publish in international journals. Proficiency in advanced statistical methods would be a plus. They should be excellent team-players and fluent in English.

At our institute we offer an international and interdisciplinary research envi-ronment. The position is immediately available. The envisaged duration of employment is two years with possibility of extension. Salary and benefits are commensurate with those of public service organizations in Ger-many. The Max-Planck-Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly en-courages women to apply. The Max-Planck-Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply.

For best consideration, please send your application, including a statement of your research interests and qualifications, curriculum vitae, copies of your certificates, and contact details of three academic referees before 15.03.2008 to: Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie; Personalabteilung; Postfach 100164; D-07701 Jena, or via e-mail as a single pdf-file to cwirth@bgc-jena.mpg.de. For questions contact Dr. Christian Wirth (++49-3641-576225)