Postdoctoral position in Independent Junior Research Group
Funded by the Emmy Noether Programme of the German Science Foundation

Carbon dynamics of boreal and temperate peatlands

Salary level: TV-L 13 (former BAT 2a)
Duration: 1-2 years, can be extended for up to 3 years
Start date: October 1st 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter, position open until filled

The working group “Ecosystem Dynamics” at the University Greifswald, Germany, is currently studying the carbon dynamics (CO2, CH4 and DOC) of boreal peatlands in Finland and Russia, and a re-flooded peatland in NE Germany. We employ closed chamber and eddy covariance techniques for measuring vertical carbon fluxes on the microsite and ecosystem scales, respectively. A focus is set on the modeling of ecosystem carbon fluxes on the relevant temporal and spatial scales which is needed for balancing the present carbon budget of the peatlands and predicting their future changes under a warming climate.
The candidate is expected to participate in the planning, establishment and maintenance of new study sites in logistically difficult regions in Scandinavia and Russia. Field-work in remote areas of the Arctic and Subarctic, supervision of M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and publication of results in international peer-reviewed journals will be expected.

For more comprehensive information on our research group, please see: http://biogeo.botanik.uni-greifswald.de, www.carbonorth.net

Your profile:
Doctoral degree in a relevant field, e.g. Biology, Ecology, Micrometeorology, Physics, Landscape Ecology, Physical Geography. Excellent team-player, very good English skills, publication record, field-work experience. Comprehensive experience with eddy covariance and chamber techniques a plus, experience with computer programming (e.g. Matlab) a plus.

Additional qualifications: Experience in footprint modeling, gap-filling procedures, time series analyses and/or constructing (process-based and/or statistical) models. Language skills in Russian.

Your contact:
Send your application (CV, publication record)
until the 15. September 2008 as one pdf file to
kutzbach (at) uni-greifswald.de
Questions concerning the application to ibendorf (at)uni-greifswald.de
Suitable candidates might be required to provide two letters of recommendation.

Applications of women are especially encouraged. Women will be hired preferentially, given similar level of experience and excellence, all other qualifications being equal (required by German law).