PhD Biology - Marine Data Science (m/f/d)- GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel

GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel; Kiel; Vor Ort; EUR 60.000 - 80.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A marine research institute in Kiel is offering a doctoral position to study fish movement using inverse reinforcement learning. Responsibilities include optimizing models and collaborating on data collection within a marine ecological context. Candidates should have a relevant MSc degree and programming skills. This full-time role supports work-life balance with flexible conditions and includes benefits like 30 days of vacation.

Leistungen

30 vacation days plus additional time off at Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve

Good work-life balance with mobile working options

Company pension plan

Qualifikationen

• Experience with modeling ecological data and using programming skills.
• Knowledge of machine-learning methods and computational biology is a plus.

Aufgaben

• Fine-tune inverse reinforcement learning methods for ecological data.
• Develop agent-based simulations to optimize IRL performance.
• Model fish movement using IRL in future marine environments.

Kenntnisse

Modeling and statistics

Programming proficiency

Excellent English (written and spoken)

Ausbildung

Diploma/MSc in Mathematics, Biology, Marine Biology, Statistics, Computer Science

Jobbeschreibung

Overview

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is a foundation under public law jointly financed by the Federal Republic of Germany (90%) and the State of Schleswig-Holstein (10%). It is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine research. Through our research and our commitment to the transfer of knowledge and technology, we contribute significantly to the preservation of the function and protection of the ocean for future generations.

The research unit Marine Evolutionary Ecology of the research division Marine Ecology offers the following position starting as soon as possible, presumably on 01. January 2026. The position offers the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree as a member of the graduate school “Helmholtz School for Marine Data Science” (MarDATA). MarDATA trains a new generation of “marine data scientists” by integrating expertise from computer science and mathematics into the field of ocean sciences, spanning supercomputing, modeling, (bio)informatics, robotics, statistics, and big data methodologies. For more information, visit: https://www.mardata.de/.

Position and affiliation

The successful candidate will study the applications of inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) to understand what motivates fish movement. The project focuses on fine-tuning IRL for fish movement datasets generated by acoustic telemetry in the wild. The work involves optimizing IRL using agent-based simulations, applying IRL to empirical fish movement data to study reward functions in the context of adaptive strategies, and using IRL to model fish movement in future marine environments. The position is embedded in the Marine Behavioural Ecology Group at GEOMAR and in the Probability and Statistics Group at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, focusing on stochastic processes and their applications. Data is already collected for the planned work, with opportunity to contribute to additional data collection in the field.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a doctoral student to conduct research on IRL applications for understanding fish movement. Responsibilities include:

• Fine-tuning inverse reinforcement learning methods for ecological data.
• Developing agent-based simulations to optimize IRL performance.
• Applying IRL to empirical fish movement datasets to analyze reward structures and adaptive behavior.
• Modeling future fish movement in simulated marine environments.
• Collaborating with the Marine Behavioural Ecology Group and the Probability and Statistics Group; contributing to data collection as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• A diploma/MSc degree or equivalent in Mathematics, Biology, Marine Biology, Statistics, Computer Science or related subjects
• Experience in modeling and statistics
• Proficiency in programming
• Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken)

If the required degree is not completed at the time of application, a degree certificate must be provided before the start date, and plausible evidence that the degree can be finished before that date should be included with the application.

Desirable

• Scientific publications based on MSc thesis
• Proficiency in machine-learning methods
• Knowledge of theoretical foundations of stochastic and machine-learning methods
• Knowledge of movement ecology and geolocation methods
• Knowledge of marine ecology
• Experience with agent-based simulations

Benefits

• At a workplace directly on the Kiel Fjord with many leisure and recreational opportunities
• Good conditions for work-life balance, including mobile working options and flexible working time arrangements
• Support services for professional and personal life situations
• An international environment with exciting topics in marine and climate research
• Opportunity to contribute to sustainable solutions
• 30 vacation days plus additional time off at Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve
• Company pension plan and capital-forming benefits

The position is available for a funding period of 3 years. Salary depends on qualification and could be up to the class E13 TVöD-Bund of the German tariff for public employees. This is a full-time position and cannot be split. The fixed-term contract adheres to Section 2 Paragraph 1 of the WissZeitVG (Act on Academic Fixed-Term Contract).

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel seeks to increase the proportion of female scientists and explicitly encourages qualified female academics to apply. GEOMAR is an equal opportunity employer and encourages scientists with disabilities to apply. Qualified disabled applicants will receive preference in the application process.