PhD student (f/m/d)

The mission of the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) as a nationally and internationally active research institute is to deliver solutions for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture – together with society. ZALF is a member of the Leibniz Association and is located in Müncheberg (approx. 35 minutes by regional train from Berlin-Lichtenberg). It also maintains a research station with further locations in Dedelow and Paulinenaue.

The Cropping System Analysis group is offering a PhD position within the DFG funded research group, Agroforestry for sustainable multifunctional agriculture (FORMULA) as part of the sub-project, Management, productivity and yields. Together with partners at University of Giessen and ZALF, this PhD project has the task to investigate crop stressors along gradients perpendicular to tree lines in agroforestry systems. The research will use a combination of experimentation and process-based model simulation to explore mechanisms of crop responses to single and multiple stressors in agroforestry systems.

Subject to final approval of funds, we are offering a 65% (26 hours per week) position for 4 years at our location in Müncheberg as PhD student (f/m/d).

• crop and soil data collection from two agroforestry sites in Brandenburg and Hesse
• model simulation of crop growth in agroforestry systems
• statistical analysis of modes of interaction between different stressors
• publication of results in peer-reviewed scientific journals

• master in crop physiology, plant biology, ecology, agricultural engineering, math, physics or similar
• willingness to undertake extensive field work
• statistical and quantitative assessment skills
• scripting skills in (e.g., R, python, …)
• interest to learn about and apply process-based agroecosystem simulation models
• knowledge of cropping systems’ responses to environmental factors
• good teamwork skills with willingness to collaborate across disciplines
• as an internationally research institution, located in Germany we require good to very good written and spoken English skills and the willingness to take part in further training as part of the language courses in German offered internally

• interdisciplinary working environment that encourages independence
• opportunity to collaborate with leading international scientists and networks in cropping and agroeco-system analysis
• strong institutional commitment to a good work-life balance
• classification according to the collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L) up to EG 13 with a 65% weekly working time (including special annual payment)
• a collegial and open-minded working atmosphere in a dynamic research institution
• company ticket
• in-house language courses in German and English

Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Applications from severely disabled persons with equal qualifications are favored. The filling of the position in part-time is possible in principle. Please send your application preferably online (see button online application below). For e-mail applications, create a PDF document (one PDF file, max. 5 MB; packed PDF documents, archive files like zip, rar etc. Word documents cannot be processed and therefore cannot be considered!) with the usual documents, in particular CV, proof of qualification and certificates, stating the reference number 61-2024 until August 3, 2024 to (see button e-mail application below).

https:// /jobposting/38c9ad0cf7597470362095515cd6a2b47e24333d0

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: Prof. Dr. Heidi Webber,

For cost reasons, application documents or extensive publications can only be returned if an adequately stamped envelope is attached.

If you apply, we collect and process your personal data in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of the EU GDPR only for the processing of your application and for purposes that result from possible future employment with the ZALF. Your data will be deleted after six months.

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF),

Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany

Contact of Human resource management: