Doctoral or Postdoctoral Researcher; f​/m​/d Global Vegetation and Biome Modelling

Frankfurt a. M.

Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN), headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, is seeking to fill the following position at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), starting as of 01. April 2026:

Doctoral or Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) Global Vegetation and Biome Modelling

(Full-Time / Part-Time options are available)

Location:

Frankfurt

Employment scope:
Doctoral (75%) / Postdoctoral Researcher (up to 100%)

Type of contract:
Fixed-term contract until 30 September 2029

Remuneration:
Collective agreement of the state Hesse (TV-H) / E13

Senckenberg is one of the world’s leading research institutions in the field of Biodiversity and Earth System Research, with eight research institutes across Germany and scientists from over 40 nations. Our headquarter is located in the thriving commercial metropolis of Frankfurt (Mainhattan) in the heart of Germany, which also hosts one of our most famous facilities, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum.

The mission of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre is to study the complex interactions between biodiversity and climate change.

The announced position is embedded in a coordinated Focus Unit Project (FUN) within the TERRA (Terrestrial Geo-Biosphere Interactions in a Changing World) excellence cluster ((Sie können sich bewerben oder uns per E-Mail kontaktieren in dem Sie die untenstehende Online-Bewerbungsbox verwenden) ), a collaboration between Senckenberg and the Universities of Tübingen and Hohenheim. The focus research unit brings together biologists, geologists and earth system modellers who together aim at fundamentally advancing our understanding of “The past and future of the C 4 grasslands of the world”.

We will develop a novel approach for simulating C 4 grasslands in interaction with C 3 grasslands and trees based on Eco-Evolutionary Optimality (EEO) within the framework of the LPJ-GUESS Dynamic Global Vegetation Model. Geologists in the team will advance the state-of-the-art in reconstructing Oligocene to Miocene C 3 /C 4 transitions, which will be used to test the new vegetation model.

The new EEO-based vegetation model should then also be used to predict future transitions and biome shifts to ultimately answer the question to what extent C 4 grasslands, savannahs and their unique biodiversity will persist under future climate change.

• Further develop our implementation of the EEO-based P model for photosynthesis within LPJ-GUESS
• Test the model against observations of the current distribution of C 4 grasslands and reconstructions of past dynamics, including the time when they first expanded across the globe
• Use the model to predict the future of C 4 grasslands and savannahs using the latest CMIP6 climate projections.
• Collaborate with geologists and climate modellers in the team to infer the climate conditions and CO 2 concentrations at which C 3 /C 4 transitions occurred in the past
• Publish results in scientific journals with highest scientific standards

• Master or PhD degree in Biology, Plant Ecology, Environmental Modelling, Geography, Environmental Physics or related fields
• A strong interest in plant ecology and climate change
• Strong Programming skills in C++, the language of the LPJ-GUESS code, or another fundamental programming language such as C or Fortran
• Strong expertise in data analyses and statistics
• Experience in ecological or environmental modelling
• Documented ability to publish scientific papers in international journals (for postdoctoral candidates)
• Research experience in interdisciplinary working environments is beneficial
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

• Opportunity to work closely with leading experts in Earth System Research as well as paleo environmental reconstructions.
• You will be part of the new Graduate School of Terrestrial Geo-Biosphere Interactions
• A dynamic work environment in Frankfurt, a diverse and vibrant city offering a high quality of life.
• Flexible working hours – mobile working options – Support with childcare or caring for family members (certified by the “audit berufundfamilie”) – employee  with free admission to municipal museums – annual special payment – collectively…