The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is the national centre for geosphere research. As a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres we are part of the largest scientific organization in Germany. With approximately 1,500 employees our key mission is to secure a profound understanding of the systems and processes of solid Earth, to develop strategies and options for action in addressing global change and its impacts on a regional level, to understand natural hazards and to minimize associated risks, to ensure the sustainable provision of energy and raw materials for a high-tech society and to evaluate the influence of human activity on system Earth.

For section 1.2 "Global Geomonitoring and Gravity Field", we are looking for a:

Scientist (f_m_x) - Global gravity field modelling for improved Service and Archive of Mass Distribution And Mass Transport data Reference Number 8807

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The International Centre for Global Earth Models (ICGEM) was established in 2004 as a service of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). Since then, the ICGEM Service has been hosted at the GFZ – Potsdam. The service collects all ever-published Global Gravity Field Models (GGMs), which are directly linked to mass distribution and mass transport in system Earth. ICGEM makes the models available to the public in a standardised, self-explanatory format and supports the community under the umbrella of IAG´s International Gravity Field Service. There is a need for scientific and technical expansion, and upgrade of the existing database. This position offered is part of a DFG project “Service and Archive for Mass Distribution And mass Transport data (SAMDAT)”. The overall objective of the SAMDAT is to respond to the growing need and demand for improved and quality assured, well documented GGMs and related products with additional types of datasets and data representations that are enriched with metadata and provided in a sustainable infrastructure on interoperable platforms.

GFZ is looking for a Scientist (f_m_x) to be involved in the SAMDAT project.

Your responsibilities:

  • Working with GGMs, their input and output products and metadata
  • Working with gravity related data over oceans and at global scale
  • Working on the computation of gravity functionals
  • Applying filters in spatial and spectral domains to gravity field related data
  • Interaction with GGM developers and users of such data
  • Presentation of the results of your work on related geoscientific conferences
  • Publishing the outcome of the project components in highly ranked international journals.

Your qualifications:

  • Master`s degree (or equivalent) and a PhD in geodesy, geophysics, physics, mathematics or a related discipline
  • Solid background in physical geodesy
  • Demonstrated experience in GGM determination and computation of gravity field functionals
  • Experience in GGM representation and validation techniques
  • Demonstrated programming skills in FORTRAN, C++ and Unix/Linux Shell Scripting
  • Experience in the usage of GitHub in the context of software development
  • Experience with frontend and backend construction of websites
  • The ability for independent working
  • Ability for and willingness to work in a multidisciplinary team and to communicate with external partners
  • Proficiency in spoken and written English

What we offer:

  • Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
  • State-of-the-art equipment
  • Public service benefits
  • Extensive training opportunities
  • Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
  • Flexible working hours and conditions
  • Support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
  • Institute day-care centre on site
  • Working at the Albert Einstein science park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
  • Workplace within walking distance of Potsdam main train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus
Start date: 1st February 2024
Fixed term: 3 years
Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.
Working hours: Full-time (currently 39 h/week); The position is generally suitable for part-time work.
Place of work: Potsdam

Have we piqued your interest?

If so, we look forward to receiving your application by 1st January 2024. Please use our online application form only.

Diversity and equal opportunities are integral components of our human resources policy. The GFZ actively promotes diversity and explicitly welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of ethnic and social origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion/belief, age and physical characteristics. Anyone who has been recognized as severely disabled, will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability and qualification in accordance with the provisions of the German Social Code IX. If you have any questions, please contact our representative for the severely disabled at sbv[at]gfz-potsdam.de, who will be happy to assist you in the further application process. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer at gba[at]gfz-potsdam.de.

Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the selection procedure on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 b, Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Art. 26 of the Data Protection Act for the State of Brandenburg. After completion of the procedure, application documents will be deleted in compliance with data protection regulations.

In case of any further queries relating to the field of activity, please contact Dr. Elmas Sinem Ince van der Wal either via email at elmas.sinem.ince@gfz-potsdam.de or phone +49 331 6264‑28692. If you have any general questions about the application process, please contact our recruiting team at our phone number +49 331 6264-28787.

www.gfz-potsdam.de/en