PhD-position - Climate stress induced biogenic emissions and their impact on atmospheric composition

Location

Jülich | Germany

Job description

As a PhD candidate you will be part of the Helmholtz Young Investigator Group `ClimStress – Climate stress impacts on forest emissions and aerosol pollution” at the Institute for Energy and Climate Research – Troposphere (IEK-8) within Forschungszentrum Julich. Globally, forests emit more than 80% of volatile organic compounds, which are reactive drivers of atmospheric chemistry and precursors to air pollutants. Since climate change stresses forests (through stressors like, e.g., drought, heat, or herbivory), their volatile organic compound emissions are changing, with potential impacts on climate and air quality. The goal of this project is to enhance our understanding of the future impact of forest emissions under climate change on atmospheric chemistry. 

Your Job:

During your time as a PhD candidate you will:

• Characterize and apply state-of-the-art chemical ionization mass spectrometry methods (proton transfer reaction and ammonium adduct time-of-flight mass spectrometry) for measuring biogenic volatile organic compounds and their oxidation products
  
• Conduct experiments to quantify and characterize the emission and uptake of volatile organic compounds from/to relevant tree species under combined biotic and abiotic stressors in a plant chamber (SAPHIR-PLUS)
  
• Study stress-VOC oxidation under various atmospheric conditions in the large state-of-the-art atmospheric oxidation chamber SAPHIR
  
• Apply statistical methods (e.g., positive matrix factorization, cluster analysis) to identify emitted molecules that are specific to non-stressed or stressed conditions to be used as tracers in the field
  
• Be involved in the preparation and realization of airborne, Zeppelin-based field measurements of volatile organic compound emissions over stressed forests
  

Your Profile:

• A Master`s degree in chemistry, physics, environmental sciences, meteorology, atmospheric sciences, or related fields
  
• Enthusiasm for laboratory and field work 
  
• Excellent experimental skills; experience in mass spectrometry or gas-phase measurements is an advantage
  
• Experience with or desire to learn programming and data analysis methods
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
  
• Ability to communicate results clearly in presentations and in writing
  
• Self-motivated, structured working style
  

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We offer ideal conditions for you to complete your doctoral degree:

• An international, stimulating work environment in an enthusiastic and welcoming team
  
• The opportunity to join the HITEC graduate school, which provides additional scientific and professional qualifications, as well as international exchanges to complement the candidate`s research work
  
• Continuous scientific mentoring by your scientific supervisor
  
• Further development of your personal strengths, e.g. through an extensive range of training courses; a structured program of continuing education and networking opportunities specifically for doctoral researchers via JuDocS, the Julich Center for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors:
  
• A large research campus with green spaces, offering the best possible means for networking with colleagues and pursuing sports alongside work
  

The employment of doctoral researchers at Julich is governed by a doctoral contract, which usually has a term of three years. Attractive pay in line with 67,5% of pay group 13 of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund) and additionally 60 % of a monthly salary as special payment („Christmas bonus`). Further information on doctoral degrees at Forschungszentrum Julich including our other locations is available at:  

In addition to exciting tasks and a collaborative working atmosphere at Julich, we have a lot more to offer:  

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

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