PhD Position in Remote Sensing of Sub-Tropical Forest Degradation

The Geography Department at Humboldt-University Berlin seeks highly qualified and motivated candidates for a PhD Position in Remote Sensing of Sub-Tropical Forest Degradation

One funded PhD position (TV-L HU 13, 60%) for three years.
Starting date: from 1st October 2015.
Application deadline: 16 July 2015
Reference number: DR/096/15

The successful applicant will study forest degradation in the South American Chaco using satellite remote sensing and ground data. The Chaco ecoregion, stretching into parts of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, has experienced widespread land-use change with drastic outcomes for biodiversity and ecosystem service provisioning. In this context, the successful candidate will focus on assessing gradual forest changes in the Chaco, for example due to changing grazing pressure or logging. To quantify forest degradation and recovery across large areas in the Chaco, and to assess the environmental outcomes of these changes, the applicant will develop and apply time-series methods that make full use of the Landsat archives and upcoming sensors such as Sentinel-2. The position will contribute to a larger research project focusing on understanding recent land-use changes and their effects on biodiversity in the Chaco, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and carried out in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia y Agropecuaria (INTA) in Buenos Aires and Salta, and the National Universities of Tucuman and Mar del Plata (all in Argentina).



At the Geography Department, the applicant will join the Biogeography & Conservation Biology Lab (https://www.geographie.hu-berlin.de/en/professorships/biogeography), which seeks to better understand dynamics in coupled human-natural systems, and how these dynamics affect biodiversity 96 from landscape to global scales. Our research has the overall goal to help identify pathways to balance human resource use with the conservation of biodiversity, and is strongly motivated by providing solutions to conservation problems. We develop and apply approaches grounded in spatial ecology, spatial statistics, geographic analyses, and remote sensing. The group works in
collaboration with researchers and science institutions worldwide, and is an active contributor to science networks such as the Global Land Project and Diversitas. The working language of the group is English.

We seek a candidate with an above-average MSc (or equivalent degree) in Geography, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Ecology, or related fields.

We expect experience and a strong interest in land system science, forest ecology, and sustainability science. Required methodological skills include a sound background in remote sensing, geographic information systems, and spatial statistics. Experience in scripting languages (e.g., Python) and in R, as well as in forestry biometry methods is a plus. Spanish language skills are highly welcome. We also expect excellent command of the English language, good communication skills, and willingness to work in international research teams.

We offer a position in an international, young and dynamic team with an excellent scientific record. Payment will be according to EGr. 13 TV-L HU (60% position), i.e., an annual gross salary of about 22,000-25,000 EUR, depending on prior research experience. Employment at Humboldt-Universit E4t zu Berlin offers all benefits of the German public service, including health insurance. Funding for participation in scientific conferences and relevant workshops is available. Humboldt-University of Berlin is located in the Berlin-Brandenburg research area and closely linked to neighboring institutions like the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) or the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). HU Berlin hosts one of Germany 92s leading Geography Departments, with research foci in Land System Science, Sustainability Science, and Metropolitan Studies. Berlin is Germany 92s largest city with an inspiring metropolitan flair and great scientific networking opportunities. Researchers from abroad are welcome to apply. HU Berlin is a certified family-friendly university. We seek to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching, and specifically encourage qualified female scientists/researchers to apply. Applicants with disabilities with equivalent qualifications will be given preferential consideration. Non-German Citizens are specifically encouraged to apply.

Please refer to https://www.personalabteilung.hu-berlin.de/stellenausschreibungen where you find the legally binding German version of the job announcement.

Applicants should include (1) a letter of motivation, (2) a full CV, (3) a writing example (e.g., a publication, a part of a thesis), and (4) contact details for two references. Please send the application electronically in a single PDF file to Ms. Dagmar Woerister
(dagmar.woerister@geo.hu-berlin.de).
Please include the reference number in the content line of your email.
Application deadline: 16 July 2015

For further information please contact Prof. Tobias Kuemmerle
(tobias.kuemmerle@geo.hu-berlin.de)