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 ZALF Research Group on “Soil Erosion and Feedbacks” aims at assessing soil erosion processes driven by wind, water, and anthropogenic activities as well as their general impacts on landscape functioning. For this strongly transdisciplinary goal we apply qualitative and quantitative approaches ranging from the detection of the processes and the assessment of their drivers and dynamics to numerical models and experimental field and laboratory simulations. A key issue of the working group is the integration of the different soil erosion processes on landscape scale. The research carried out in the light of expected future global changes finally helps to develop new innovative techniques and approaches to fight, cope with or mitigate negative effects of soil erosion especially in agricultural areas. In the project “Preventive Soil Protection in Brandenburg”

We are offering a full-time position (40h per week) temporarely limited for five months at our location in Müncheberg as

• collect, prepare and validate information material for preventive soil protection
• collect and assemble information material related to soil erosion in Brandenburg
• modelling of water related soil erosion processes (e.g. LISEM)
• compare available information in other Federal States
• derive measures to prevent, mitigate or cope with erosion considering the special soil and climate conditions in Brandenburg
• derive recommendations for action for authorities, consultants and farmers

• background knowledge (MSc level) in Geosciences with focus on agriculture, soil science, hydrology or related disciplines (e.g. Physical Geography, Geoecology, Geology, Remote Sensing, Soil Science, Agric. Engineering)
• language skills in german on C-Level
• experience in environmental modelling
• experience in GIS and coding (R, python, or similar)
• ability to work independently, as well as within a multidisciplinary team
• 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

• an interdisciplinary working environment that encourages independence and self-reliance
• classification according to the collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L) up to EG 13
• a collegial and open-minded working atmosphere in a dynamic research institution
• company ticket
• flexible working hours and family friendly conditions
• budget for conferences, meetings
• 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 82-2024 until September 16, 2024 to (see button e-mail application below).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: Dr. Roger Funk (Phone +49(0)33432/82321; rfunk@zalf.de); Prof. Dr. Michael Maerker (Phone +49(0)33432/82-4078; michael.maerker@zalf.de).

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.