POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN EARTH SCIENCE (m/f/d, 100%, TVL-E13, temporary for the duration of 2[...]

Overview

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN EARTH SCIENCE (m/f/d, 100%, TVL-E13, temporary for the duration of 2 years) at SimTech - Cluster of Excellence | University of Stuttgart. Project: UNI-BENCH: Diagnostic benchmarking of hybrid hydrological models. The position offers opportunities to contribute to hybrid modeling in Earth Science and related fields.

Your Tasks

• Extend the UNITE toolbox for efficient estimation of information-theoretic quantities toward transfer entropy, ideally in Python (alternatively in MATLAB or R).
• Develop and implement a mapping between Artificial Neural Network components (notably LSTM) and a process model for a well-instrumented catchment in Belgium.
• Design and test universal benchmarks to create trust in the hydrological consistency of hybrid models on the same case study.
• Demonstrate and evaluate methods on hybrid hydrological models for large-sample data sets (e.g., CAMELS-DE).
• Collaborate with Dr.-Ing. Uwe Ehret (KIT, Karlsruhe), Ass.-Prof. Daniel Klotz (IT:U, Linz), and Prof. Hoshin V. Gupta (University of Arizona, USA).
• Publish results in high-ranked open-access journals and present at international conferences.

Your Profile / Qualifications

• Very good PhD in hydrology, geosciences, environmental engineering, computer or data science, or related fields.
• Interest in physics-based or data-driven modelling, model training and evaluation, model diagnostics, and interpretability/explainability.
• Experience in coding algorithms, model building (physics-based, conceptual, or data-driven), calibration/uncertainty assessment, or information-theoretic concepts.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language common in quantitative fields (e.g., MATLAB, R, Python, Julia, or C++).
• Proficient English skills (spoken and written, C1); German skills (B1/B2) are an asset.

We Offer

• Internationally renowned expertise in environmental/hydrological modelling, hybrid modelling, uncertainty quantification, and information theory.
• Supportive research environment at the Cluster of Excellence SimTech, embedded in SC SimTech and KIT, with networking opportunities.
• Membership in the Graduate Academy of the SC SimTech.
• Three-month paid research stay at the University of Arizona, USA.
• One-month paid research stay at the Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria (Linz).
• Fully funded conference visits (within Europe and abroad) and a growing interdisciplinary team.
• Coaching to support further steps in your academic/professional career.

University & Diversity

The University of Stuttgart and EXC SimTech promote diversity and encourage applications from women, international applicants, and people with disabilities. We are committed to equal opportunity and work-life balance, with flexible modules and family-friendly policies. We welcome any good application.

Application Procedure

Please apply via the University of Stuttgart career portal “JoinUs” and submit a complete application (one-page motivation letter, academic CV, one letter of reference, certificates) by September 21, 2025. Starting date is negotiable. For questions, contact

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