Program Highlights

• PhD Title: Resilience of Amazonian Forests and Nature-Based Climate Solutions
• Institutions:
  • Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE) – France
  • Spanish Research Council (CSIC) – Spain
• Doctoral Program: Sciences de l’Environnement d’Ile-de-France (SEIF), Paris-Saclay University
• Start Date: October 2025 (flexible)
• Duration: 3 years
• Salary: Competitive, with full social security and health benefits
• Application Deadline: July 31, 2025

Project Focus: Tropical Forest Resilience & Fire Recovery

This research project examines how Amazonian tropical forests recover from climate-induced wildfires, integrating advanced modeling, satellite data, and artificial intelligence. The goal is to evaluate Forest-based Nature Climate Solutions (FNCSs) and support sustainable land-use strategies.

Key Research Objectives:

1. Simulate Fire Impacts
   Improve modeling of fire effects in Amazon forests, with emphasis on human-induced land use changes.
2. Model Forest Recovery
   Use plant functional types (PFTs) to analyze regrowth patterns and forest succession after disturbances.
3. Evaluate Nature Climate Solutions
   Assess how various land-use strategies can enhance carbon recovery and promote ecosystem sustainability.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Eligibility Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Earth System Science, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or related fields
• Strong programming skills: Python, Bash, Fortran, C++
• Interest in vegetation modeling, AI, and sustainable climate strategies

Desirable Skills:

• Experience with land-use change simulations or ecological modeling
• Familiarity with Amazonian ecosystems
• Ability to work both independently and in collaborative, cross-national teams

Supervision & Training

You will be jointly supervised by leading scientists:

• Dr. Daniel Goll, LSCE, France
• Dr. Isabel Martinez-Cano, CSIC, Spain

Additional training and networking opportunities will be provided through the CLAND virtual institute, including scientific workshops, seminars, and peer exchanges.

Work Location & Mobility

• You must spend at least 12 months each at LSCE (France) and CSIC (Spain).
• Travel and academic support are fully covered by the program.

Application Process

Application Deadline: July 31, 2025

How to Apply:
Send your application via email with the subject line:

PhD Application – [Your Full Name]

Submit the following in a single PDF:

• Updated CV
• Motivation Letter – Describe your research interests and why you’re applying
• Statement of Fit – How your background aligns with the project goals
• References – Contact details of at least two academic referees (email & phone)

About the PhD Opportunity

The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena invites applications for a fully funded PhD position in Atmospheric Carbon Flux Partitioning. This prestigious opportunity is part of the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) project—a major international collaboration between Germany and Brazil dedicated to understanding carbon dynamics in the Amazon rainforest.

This doctoral project focuses on top-down partitioning of Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) at regional scales using advanced atmospheric transport inversion methods, particularly the CarboScope Regional Inversion System.

Key Research Questions

• What drives seasonal variability in carbon fluxes—photosynthesis (GPP) or respiration (TER)?
• How can the ATTO tower’s observational footprint enhance regional carbon balance models?
• What insights can be drawn from nighttime CO₂ mole fraction data?

The research involves integrating high-resolution atmospheric data with biosphere models to analyze the biosphere-atmosphere carbon exchange in the Amazon region.

Your Role as a PhD Researcher

As a PhD candidate, you will:

• Enhance nocturnal boundary layer models using site-specific meteorological data
• Implement the Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (VPRM) to estimate a priori fluxes
• Optimize and extend the Jena CarboScope inversion framework
• Validate model outputs using independent datasets such as 13C-CO₂ isotopes and ecosystem simulations
• Work closely with leading international experts from Germany and Brazil

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should have:

• A Master’s degree in geosciences, environmental sciences, physics, or atmospheric sciences
• Strong analytical background in statistics, mathematics, and carbon cycle research
• Programming skills in languages such as Python or Julia
• Interest in biosphere modeling and atmospheric transport systems
• Excellent command of English (spoken and written)
• A passion for climate science and ecosystem research

Why Join This Program?

• Fully funded PhD position under the German TVöD Bund salary scheme
• Involvement in the elite BMBF-funded ATTO-Synthesis project
• Collaboration with world-class researchers from the BSAT and ATM groups at MPI
• Access to cutting-edge modeling tools and global atmospheric data sets
• Supportive, diverse, and interdisciplinary research environment

How to Apply

Submit the following as a single PDF (max 10 MB) to: bewerbung@bgc-jena.mpg.de

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Contact details of two academic referees

Subject/Reference: PhD Position 2 – Reference 12/2025
Deadline: June 20, 2025

Mailing Address (if required):
Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie
Personalbüro: Kennwort „PhD position 2”
Hans-Knöll-Straße 10, 07745 Jena, Germany

Note: Documents will be destroyed post-selection per GDPR rules. Please avoid sending original papers or folders.

Contact for More Information

• Project Lead: Dr. Santiago Botía
• Collaborator: Dr. Christoph Gerbig
• Email: szaehle@bgc-jena.mpg.de
• Official Website: www.attoproject.org

Boost Your Research Career in Climate Science

This is a rare opportunity to contribute to one of the most significant environmental projects of our time. Help decode the carbon flux puzzle of the Amazon while advancing your academic and research career at one of the world’s most respected institutes.

Apply by June 20, 2025, and become a part of cutting-edge climate science in Germany!