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.

We are offering a postdoc position within the project, Integrated cropping systems analysis: methods and models for climate risk assessments (iCSA) funded by the Leibniz Association**.** This research aims to advance methodologies and improve models for assessing risk to cropping systems under climate change, particularly for Sub-saharan Africa (SSA). The main focus of this position is in advancing risk and impact assessments to better understand interplay between climatic risk and sustainable development of cropping systems in SSA. The position will be based in the Cropping System Analysis working group at ZALF at the Müncheberg campus initially for two years with the possibility of extension.

• develop conceptual approaches to quantify risk to cropping systems
• conduct crop model impact assessment studies at regional and/or global scales
• extend methodologies for and conduct integrated risk and impact assessments
• aid in daily supervision of BSc, MSc and PhD students working in Germany and West Africa
• publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals

• PhD in agronomy, agricultural engineering, geography, mathematics, physics or similar
• good knowledge of process-based crop modelling (e.g. DSSAT, APSIM, WOFOST, …)
• computer programming or scripting skills in (e.g., R, python, java, …)
• ability to work with big datasets
• experience in assessing climate change impacts or crop management options
• motivated to address the big challenges facing agricultural sustainability, farming livelihoods and food security
• 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
• good teamwork skills with willingness to collaborate across disciplines and openness to conduct transdisciplinary research

• opportunity to develop scientific profile through participation in on-going research projects
• collaboration with leading international scientists and networks in cropping and eco-system analysis
• interdisciplinary working environment that encourages independence
• strong institutional commitment to a good work-life balance
• classification according to the collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L) up to EG13 with a 100% 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 36-2024 until 06 May 2024 to (see button e-mail application below).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Chenzhi Wang, Chenzhi.Wang@zalf.de or  Prof. Heidi Webber, webber@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.