GFZ is Germany’s national centre for solid Earth research. We advance the understanding of dynamic processes to address global challenges, from mitigating the impacts of natural hazards and sustaining our habitat amid global change to responsibly managing georesources. We are part of the Helmholtz Association, the largest German scientific organisation. With around 1,200 employees as well as ca. 500 guest researchers, we contribute to the Helmholtz Research Field Earth and Environment, aligning cutting-edge research with societal relevance and international collaboration. Our work integrates multidisciplinary studies across Earth’s system components, leveraging advanced technologies and infrastructure to research solutions and to transfer our knowledge to society. We are doing this according to our vision: “Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet”.
For section 1.5 “Space Physics and Space Weather” (department 1: Geodesy) we are looking for a:
PhD position (fmx) - Numerical modeling of radiation belts and scientific programming in Space Physics

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in physics, computer sciences, mathematics, or related natural sciences
• Work experience with IT programming or scientific programming and Unix operating systems
• Advanced knowledge of Matlab and/or Python and C++
• Experience in developing numerical codes
• Knowledge of code architecture and design patterns
• Knowledge of space physics is preferred, but candidates with exceptional computing skills and no background in space physics will also be considered
• Ability to work with large data sets, and experience with machine learning is a plus
• Ability to work within a team, excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Attention to detail and organisational skills
• Excellent English skills
  Start date: As soon as possible
  Fixed-term: 3 years
  Salary: Die Stelle ist nach TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost) mit der Entgeltgruppe 13 bewertet. Die Eingruppierung erfolgt nach den tariflichen Bestimmungen und den entsprechenden persönlichen Voraussetzungen.
  Working hours: Teilzeit 75% (derzeit 29,25 h/Woche)
  Place of work: Potsdam

The successful candidate should have extensive experience in scientific programming. Job responsibilities will include a variety of tasks related to scientific programming, including but not limited to:

• Develop scientific codes
• Maintain data and code repositories
• Develop visualisations
• Develop various programming tools for scientific codes and data analysis
• Document and test existing codes
• Adopt scientific codes for different scientific problems
• Conduct scientific research in the field of space physics
• Write manuscripts that will be published in peer-reviewed journals