Postdoctoral Researcher - Agroecosystem Modelling and Digital Twins

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH; Jülich; On-site; EUR 58,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful tasks

Flexible working hours

30 days vacation + extra days off

International environment

Professional development

Health management program

Campus experience

Welcome Days & Welcome Guide

International Advisory Service

Career Center

Job summary

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance agroecosystem modelling and digital twins. You will join the IBG-3 Agrosphere team to fuse sensing data with process-based and data-driven models across scales.

Key tasks include developing the AgroC model for water, carbon, and nutrient fluxes; integrating with PDAF; and creating real-time observation workflows for digital twin applications. English proficiency is essential.

Qualifications

• Master's with PhD in environmental sciences, geosciences, agricultural sciences, computational sciences, applied mathematics, physics or a related field.
• Strong background in agroecosystem, hydrological or environmental modelling and/or scientific computing.
• Experience with process-based models and/or model–data fusion and data assimilation methods.
• Very good programming skills in Python and/or Fortran; knowledge of additional programming languages is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply the AgroC agroecosystem model at field and farm scales.
• Integrate AgroC with PDAF and develop observation operators.
• Develop workflows for near-real-time observations into digital twins.
• Apply data-driven, surrogate and hybrid modelling for efficient digital twin applications.
• Deploy digital twins at PhenoRob experimental sites to study crop performance and ecosystem services.

Skills

Agroecosystem modelling

Hydrological modelling

Scientific computing

Python

Fortran

Linux/Unix

High-performance computing

Team collaboration

English (C1)

Education

Masters with PhD in environmental sciences, geosciences, agricultural sciences, computational sciences, applied mathematics, physics or related field

Tools

Parallel Data Assimilation Framework (PDAF)

Job description

Postdoctoral Researcher - Agroecosystem Modelling and Digital Twins

In the coming decades, climate change and shifts in land use will have a significant impact on the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems in terms of the services they provide (food, feed, fiber, energy), as well as on the challenges society must address. At the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences – Agrosphere (IBG-3), we develop solutions to safeguard ecosystem services based on an improved understanding of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in terrestrial systems. Our focus is on agricultural and forest systems, which are coming under increasing pressure due to global change. Innovative observation technologies are combined with laboratory experiments and modeling to investigate and predict terrestrial processes across scales (from the pore scale through the field scale to the continental scale), thereby contributing to the sustainable use of the natural resources water, soil, and atmosphere.

Your Job

You will contribute to the development of field- and farm-scale agroecosystem digital twins within our interdisciplinary and international research team. The position is embedded in the PhenoRob2 Core Project 6, which aims to fuse information from advanced sensing technologies with process-based and data-driven models across spatial and temporal scales.

Your tasks:

• Further development and application of the AgroC agroecosystem model for simulating water, carbon, nutrient and energy fluxes at the field and farm scale
• Integration of AgroC with the Parallel Data Assimilation Framework (PDAF) and development of suitable observation operators
• Development of workflows for the integration of near-real-time observations of crop growth, crop stress, hydrological states and fluxes, and nutrient dynamics into agroecosystem digital twins
• Development and application of data-driven, surrogate and hybrid modelling approaches to complement process-based agroecosystem modelling and enable efficient digital twin applications
• Application of digital twins at selected PhenoRob experimental sites to investigate crop performance, ecosystem functions and trade‑offs between ecosystem services under different management options
• Close collaboration with scientists and doctoral researchers within Core Project 6 and from other PhenoRob2 core projects
• Dissemination of research results through scientific publications, presentations at international conferences, and contributions to collaborative research proposals

Your Profile

• Masters with subsequent PhD degree in environmental sciences, geosciences, agricultural sciences, computational sciences, applied mathematics, physics or a related field
• Strong background in agroecosystem, hydrological or environmental modelling and/or scientific computing
• Experience in the development and application of process-based models and/or model‑data fusion and data assimilation methods
• Very good programming skills in Python and/or Fortran; knowledge of additional programming languages is an advantage
• Experience with Linux/UNIX-based scientific computing environments and modern software development practices
• Experience with parallel computing and high-performance computing is an advantage
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a highly interdisciplinary research environment
• Strong communication and scientific writing skills
• Excellent command of written and spoken English (at least C1 level according to the CEFR: https://go.fzj.de/languagerequirements), ideally supported by a certificate confirming the language level. Knowledge of the German language is not mandatory but a bonus.

Our Benefits for You

• Meaningful tasks: The position offers a varied and diverse role in an international environment
• Work-life balance: Optimal conditions for balancing work and private life, as well as a family‑friendly company policy. The option of flexible working (in terms of location) is generally available after consultation and in line with upcoming tasks and (on‑site) appointments
• Vacation: You will receive 30 days of vacation plus additional days off (e.g. between Christmas and New Year's)
• Flexibility: Flexible working time models, including options close to full‑time, allow you to tailor your working hours to suit your individual needs
• Knowledge & further training: Your professional development is important to us – we provide targeted, individual support
• Health & well‑being: Your health is important to us. You can look forward to a comprehensive occupational health management program with a wide range of offerings - e.g., a beach volleyball court, running groups, yoga classes, and much more. In addition, our company medical service and an experienced social counseling team are available to assist you on site
• Campus experience: Our research campus in the countryside creates ideal conditions for collegial exchange and sporting activities right on site. Our cafeteria offers a wide range of options—you can enjoy a relaxing lunch break with a lake view
• Successful start: It is important to us that you quickly settle into the team and are given structured training for your tasks. We also support you from the very beginning and make your start easier with our Welcome Days and Welcome Guide
• Support for international employees: Our International Advisory Service makes it easier for international employees to get started
• Career Center: You will receive explicit support with regard to your career development opportunities
• Fair remuneration: Depending on your existing qualifications and the tasks assigned to you, you will be classified in pay grade 13 of the TVöD‑Bund (Collective Agreement for the Public Service). All information on the TVöD‑Bund collective agreement can be found on BMI website. The monthly salaries in euros can be found on page 74 of the PDF download
• Additional benefits: Benefit from attractive additional services such as a company pension scheme with employer contribution. In addition to the basic salary, there is an additional year‑end bonus under the collective pay agreement
• Contract duration: The position is limited until the 31.12.2030

In addition to exciting tasks and a collegial working environment, we offer you much more: https://go.fzj.de/benefits

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

The following links provide further information on diversity and equal opportunities: https://go.fzj.de/equality and on specific support options for women: https://go.fzj.de/womens-job-journey. International applicants can find more information here: https://go.fzj.de/job-journey-internationals

Place of Employment: Jülich

Start Date: 01.01.2027

Working Hours: 39 Hours / Week

Salary: EG 13 TVöD‑Bund

Application Deadline: The position will be published until it is successfully filled

Index number: 2026T-0799