Doctoral Researcher (f_m_x) – Hydro-Geophysics

GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences; Potsdam; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 63,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Public service benefits

State-of-the-art equipment

Flexible working hours

Career guidance via Career-Centre

On-site institute day-care

Job summary

GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher (f_m_x) – Hydro-Geophysics. The position focuses on hydrological dynamics around a ring laser at the Wettzell observatory, with collaboration across BKG and KIT.

You will deploy monitoring systems, analyze data, and model storage changes. The role is 75% part-time, start date 1 January 2027, and classified under TVöD Bund salary group 13.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in geophysics, geodesy, hydrology or related fields.
• Very good command of spoken and written English.
• Programming skills, preferably in Python.
• Excellent teamwork and communication in an interdisciplinary setting.

Responsibilities

• Deploy a hydro-geophysical monitoring system at the Wettzell observatory, including soil moisture sensors and ET R.
• Derive spatial and temporal variations of water storage from sensor data.
• Implement a local physically-based hydrological model (e.g., HYDRUS) to simulate water fluxes and storage dynamics.
• Adapt methods for modelling hydrological mass attraction effects on tiltmeters and develop corrections.
• Contribute to project activities and deliverables.
• Interpret, publish and present findings in peer-reviewed journals and workshops.

Skills

Python

English (spoken & written)

Teamwork

Education

Master's degree in geophysics/geodesy/hydrology

Tools

HYDRUS

Job description

GFZ is Germany's national centre for solid Earth research. We advance the understanding of dynamic processes to address global challenges, from mitigating the impacts of natural hazards and sustaining our habitat amid global change to responsibly managing georesources. We are part of the Helmholtz Association, the largest German scientific organisation. With around 1,200 employees as well as ca. 500 guest researchers, we contribute to the Helmholtz Research Field Earth and Environment, aligning cutting-edge research with societal relevance and international collaboration. Our work integrates multidisciplinary studies across Earth's system components, leveraging advanced technologies and infrastructure to research solutions and to transfer our knowledge to society. We are doing this in line with our vision: "Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet".

For section 4.4 "Hydrology" (department 4 "Geosystems"), we are looking for a:

Doctoral Researcher (f_m_x) – Hydro-Geophysics

Reference Number 11554

This position is part of the Research Unit "RING: Rotation in Physics, Geodesy, and Geophysics", funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). RING brings together expertise from several universities, research institutions and a Federal Agency across Germany to improve measurements with laser-optical instruments to observe changes in Earth rotation. The overall goal is to use these observations to enhance geodetic and geophysical applications, such as quantifying mass variations in the Earth system by climate variability and change. The open position is part of the RING project P6, which analyses the effects of atmospheric and hydrological dynamics on long-period rotational measurements, as a joint effort of GFZ, the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

We are looking for a candidate to investigate the hydrological dynamics in the surroundings of a ring laser at the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell, operated by BKG. The goal is to assess if and how groundwater storage variations and soil moisture changes affect the ring laser measurements through mass-attraction effects and due to tilts caused by surface deformation. The research will be based on hydrological and hydrogeophysical monitoring on the grounds of the observatory and on hydrological modelling of water fluxes and storage variations at local and regional scales. All tasks will be carried out in close collaboration with BKG.

Your responsibilities:

• Deploy a hydro-geophysical monitoring system at the Wettzell observatory, including soil moisture sensors and transects for Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT)
• Derive spatial and temporal variations of water storage from new and existing sensor data
• Implement a local physically-based hydrological model (preferably HYDRUS) to simulate water fluxes and storage dynamics in the surroundings of the ring laser
• Adapt methods for modelling the hydrological mass attraction effect on tiltmeters that are co-located with the ring laser, and develop correction methods for these effects
• Contribute to project activities and deliverables
• Interpret, publish and present findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and workshops

About You:

Essential Qualifications:

• Master's degree or equivalent in geophysics, geodesy, hydrology or related fields
• Understanding of hydrological processes
• Knowledge of environmental process models such as physically-based hydrological modelling (e.g., HYDRUS)
• Very good command of spoken and written English
• Programming skills, preferably in Python
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills for collaboration in an interdisciplinary environment

Desirable Qualifications:

• Expertise with hydrological, geophysical or geodetic monitoring devices
• Experience in potential field modelling with elementary bodies
• Willingness to work in the field (adverse weather conditions included)
• Driver's license

Start date: 1st January 2027
Fixed-term: 3,5 years
Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to "TVöD Bund". The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.
Working hours: Part-time 75% (currently 29.25 h/week)
Place of work: Potsdam

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 is 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