About the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is a leading international research centre for environmental sciences, with a strong focus on finding a balance between social development and the long-term protection of our natural resources.

The Job

We are seeking a highly skilled Computational Ecologist to join our team in the European Union funded project "Biodiversity Meets Data". As a key member of our team, you will work on developing and applying statistical models to understand the dynamics of biodiversity and its relationship with environmental factors.

Your Tasks

• Develop and apply statistical models to summarize spatial and temporal dynamics of populations, species, and communities using biodiversity data from the BMD project and beyond.
• Work with environmental data on climate, land use, and management, including remote sensing data, to develop and apply models for spatial and temporal dynamics of biodiversity.
• Assist in and conduct the development of automated workflows from biotic and abiotic data sources to the model.
• Develop models for spatial and temporal dynamics of biodiversity at various scales based on predefined use cases that can attribute changes to environmental data.
• Implement these models in Virtual Research Environments on BMD cloud computers and provide user-friendly interfaces and Shiny apps for customized data analyses.
• Present and publish results at scientific conferences and peer-reviewed scientific journals.

We Offer

• The freedom to master even the most demanding challenges in basic research and practical application.
• The chance to work in interdisciplinary, international teams and benefit from a variety of perspectives.
• First-class integration into national and international research networks to work together on global challenges.
• Excellent research infrastructure and research data management to optimally support your work.
• Flexible working hours and a wide range of options for balancing work and care responsibilities through our family office.
• Competent support and advice for international colleagues arriving at the UFZ from the 'International Office'.
• Special annual payment, capital-forming benefits, and subsidised Germany Job Ticket.
• A workplace in a vibrant region with a high life quality and social and cultural diversity.

Your Profile

• PhD in Biostatistics, Ecology, Biology, Geo-ecology, Geography, Mathematics, or similar.
• Sound knowledge in ecological statistics with a focus on trend analyses, species-distribution modelling, and modelling of spatio-temporal dynamics.
• Advanced knowledge of scientific Python, R, Shiny, and Git.
• Basic understanding of parallel and distributed computing preferred.
• Ecological knowledge in at least one taxonomic group.
• Excellent communication skills in English and ability to work in a large, diverse interdisciplinary team with international partners.
• Presentation and publication of results at scientific conferences and peer-reviewed scientific journals.