Doctoral Researcher

At the University of Kassel, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, Group Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources (Prof. Dr. Michael Wachendorf), the following position (place of employment Witzenhausen) is to be filled by 1 April 2024:**:**Doctoral Researcher (M/F/d), EG 13 TV-H, temporary, part-time** (currently **26** hours per week)**

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- Application deadline:
29.02.2024
- Date of hire:
01.04.2024
- vacancy number:
- 36980Part-time position with 65 % of the working hours of a full-time employee. This is a fixed-term position for three years, corresponding to -2 Abs. 1 WissZeitVG, opportunity for PhD project.

TRIO (Transformative Mischkultursysteme für One Health) is a “Hessen LOEWE” excellence Project with a wide interdisciplinary scope, aiming to investigate the potential of mixed cultivation of wheat with medicinal plants to address possible solutions for climate-change-induced drought in agriculture. In the context of this project, a doctoral position is available addressing the “Development of remote sensing based methods to monitor agronomic parameters and heat-related stress of mixed cropping systems of wheat”. The main place of service is Witzenhausen, but extended fieldwork in different parts of the state of Hesse, mainly during summer, will be required. Fitness for service in the field is, therefore, mandatory.

**Tasks**:

- UAV-based remote sensing image data and relevant agronomic parameters (e.g., biomass, LAI, plant height) collection at experimental sites and practical farm fields.
- Development of methods and models (i.e., machine or deep learning) to estimate agronomic parameters of mixed cropping systems using UAV images.
- Research work on UAV-based thermal remote sensing images for identification of heat stress in the plant canopies in mixed cropping systems.
- Documentation, evaluation, and assessment of the results.
- Work in partnership with project partners to develop collaborative research outputs.
- Participation in project-related seminars, workshops, and international conferences by presenting results.
- Preparation and presentation of research results in internationally recognized journals.

**Requirements**:

- Completed university degree (MSc or diploma) in Geomatics, Agricultural Sciences, or related fields. The required degree must be obtained by the recruitment date at the latest
- Knowledge and experience or willingness to learn in the field of vegetation remote sensing and UAV-based remote sensing
- Experience in GIS data handling and proficiency in data analysis using programming languages (e.g., R or Python)
- Ability to link own research with remote sensing and agriculture
- High willingness to learn and cooperate inter-disciplinary
- A high degree of organizational and teamwork skills
- Good oral and written communication skills in German and English or willingness to learn the language

**Advantageous**:

- Experience in field surveys, experimental design, and data evaluation
- Scientific expertise, preferably demonstrated by a degree in a field of activity relevant to the project activities
- Attention to detail and commitment to produce high-quality, scientifically rigorous results
- EU class B driver’s license
- Experience in knowledge transfer and inter
- or transdisciplinary collaboration

**Our Offer**:
As an employee of the University of Kassel
- you will be offered an interesting and diverse range of tasks within the framework of a modern and ambitious university,
- you will be part of an interdisciplinary team with a good and collegial working atmosphere,
- you will have the opportunity to participate in professional and interdisciplinary further education measures,
- is your workplace with good connections to public transport, which you can currently use free of charge.

In addition, you will benefit from the advantages of employment in the public service such as:

- an additional company pension (VBL),
- an optional child supplement in accordance with TV-Hessen, a family-friendly university (including childcare for emergencies),
- an annual bonus
- an entitlement to capital-accumulation benefits,
- a promotion of voluntary commitment,
- low-cost participation in university sports and a full range of fitness activities as part of Unifit, as well as workplace health management

You can find more jobs at stellen.uni-kassel.de

The University of Kassel is very interested in the professional satisfaction of its employees. It is distinguished as a family-friendly university and, in the interests of equal opportunities, strives to offer everyone the same opportunities for development and to counteract existing disadvantages. It promotes the Family Welcome Service and also the Dual Career Service for positions that are scientifically and academically filled. One of the strategic goals of the University of Kassel is to significantly increase the proportion of women in research and teaching. Applications from women are therefore particu