PhD candidates (f_m_x) in Seismology

GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung; Deutschland; Vor Ort; EUR 50.000 - 60.000; Teilzeit

Zusammenfassung

A research center for geosciences in Germany is offering two PhD projects in seismology. Candidates will analyze seismic data and use programming skills in a dynamic research environment. Applicants should have an MSc in geophysics or related fields and be fluent in English. The position is part-time and located in Potsdam with a start date in March 2026.

Leistungen

Public service benefits

Flexible working hours

Professional career advice

Qualifikationen

• Knowledge of learning and processing large datasets.
• Experience with the analysis of local seismicity.

Aufgaben

• Study of relevant scientific literature.
• Analysis of seismological data from earthquakes and/or ambient seismic noise.
• Present at international conferences and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Kenntnisse

Programming in Python

Experience in the analysis of seismological data

Fluency in English

Ausbildung

MSc in geophysics, physics or computer science/mathematics

Jobbeschreibung

Organisation/Company GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung Research Field Geosciences Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Country Germany Application Deadline 15 Dec 2025 - 22:59 (UTC) Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Other Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Area of research:

PHD Thesis

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 according to our vision: “Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet”.

For section 2.4 Seismology (department 2: Geophysics), we are looking for two: Reference Number 10900

The Priority Program DEFORM of the German Research Foundation is funding multi-disciplinary research into the Adriatic Plate and its plate boundaries. The project represents the German contribution to the international AdriaArray initiative, a seismic array encompassing ~1500 seismic stations with 64 contributing institutions. Within this project, we are also operating a high-density seismic array (“Large-N array”) in western Greece and southern Albania encompassing nearly 800 sites, straddling the boundary between continental and oceanic subduction. This region carries the signature of a vibrant geodynamic history and shows different deformation styles in close vicinity.

The section for seismology at GFZ offers two PhD projects within this programme:

Project 1: Seismological imaging of attenuation and scattering in the circum-Adriatic region

We investigate the attenuation and scattering properties of the crust in the wider Adriatic region. You will employ scattering theory to separate the effects of wave scattering and anelastic attenuation on seismic wave propagation. You will use state-of-the-art inversion techniques to image the spatial of subsurface heterogeneity to illuminate the imprint of past and present deformation.

Project 2: Generation and analysis of a high-quality seismic catalogue in Greece and Albania with Deep Learning

We leverage the data from the Large-N seismic array as well as an offshore fibre-optic cable, which is being interrogated with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), to derive a catalogue of the seismicity in the area at unprecedented resolution. Leveraging and improving state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, template matching and other techniques, you will derive a high precision catalogue of seismic activity down to very small magnitudes and analyse statistical patterns in order to understand how large-scale deformation is resolved onto faults in a region of diffuse deformation.

Your responsibilities:

Both projects:

• Study of relevant scientific literature
• Analysis of seismological data from earthquakes and/or ambient seismic noise
• Interpretation of your results in terms of geodynamic implications
• Present at international conferences and interdisciplinary workshops within the SPP DEFORM and the AdriaArray project
• Publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals
• Participate in seismological fieldwork (optional)

Project 1:

• Adapt and implement numerical simulation codes for seismic energy propagation in heterogeneous media using radiative transfer theory
• Generate regional models of attenuation and heterogeneity using advanced seismic imaging
• Interact with project partners to integrate observations into the known deformation history

Project 2:

• Adapt and apply machine learning techniques for the detection and location of earthquakes of different sizes in Greece
• Interact with geologists and geodesists to understand the deformation budget and how it interacts with structural controls
• Improve the methodological approaches to the requirements of the data set
• (at start of employment): MSc in geophysics, physics or computer science/mathematics or related disciplines
• Experience in the analysis of seismological data
• Programming in Python
• Project 2: (preferred) Knowledge of learning, or experience in processing large datasets or experience with the analysis of local seismicity
• Fluency in English, both oral and written

What we offer:

• Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
• Public service benefits
• Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
• Flexible working hours and conditions
• Workplace within walking distance of Potsdam central train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus

Start date: Available from 1stMarch 2026
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: Part-time 75% (currently 29.25 h/week)
Place of work: Potsdam Have we piqued your interest?If so, we look forward to receiving your application by 15th December 2025 . Requested documents: Curriculum vitae (including contact details of at least two references), cover letter and certificates Please state in your cover letter whether you wish to be considered for both projects, or only one of them. Please use our online application form only.

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. We also promote an inclusive working environment in which everyone can fully develop their own talents. Anyone who has been recognised 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. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer.

“Diversity in perspectives” is one of GFZ's core values. As an integral part of supporting diversity at our centre, we actively promote women in science and in leadership positions. We among others do this through our gender equality plan and the cascade model measures which we actively implement to enable sustainable equal opportunities in academic career paths.

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. Sens-Schönfelder and/or Prof. Tilmann via email. If you have any general questions about the application process, please contact our recruiting team at our phone number [phone].

This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. With more than 42,000 employees and an annual budget of over € 5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest scientific organisation.