PhD position (m/f/d) Forest Management

Academic staff

The Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group at the TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich studies how forests change in time and space. We quantify these changes, identify their causes and describe their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

PhD Student (m/f/d) – 65%, available from October 2026

Qualifications

• Completed master studies in forestry, ecosystem management, simulation modelling or related fields
• Interest in forest diversity and resilience
• Knowledge of forest ecosystem service provisioning
• Good quantitative skills, specific interest in simulation modelling
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on the effect of beta‑diversity on forest resilience to disturbance and assess implications for ecosystem service supply.
• Use the iLand forest landscape simulation model and evaluate it against independent data.
• Develop management strategies to increase beta diversity in forest landscapes.
• Assess the effects of beta diversity on disturbance resilience and quantify climate change impacts on ecosystem service supply.
• Prepare information for economic analyses.
• Publish peer‑reviewed scientific papers and communicate findings at conferences and stakeholder meetings.

Offer

• Work in a highly dynamic, international research group at the forefront of the field.
• PhD within an innovative interdisciplinary project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
• Interaction with a wide network of peers, scientists and stakeholders nationally and internationally.
• 65 % position (26 h per week) in remuneration group TV‑L E13 for a period of 3.5 years.
• Position located at the TUM School of Life Science in Freising, Germany.
• Severely handicapped persons given preference in case of essentially equal qualification.
• The TUM aims to increase the proportion of women in its staff; applications from women are expressly welcomed.
• Disabled applicants given preference with equivalent qualifications.

Equal Opportunities

Applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The position is suitable for disabled persons and disabled applicants will be given preference with equivalent qualifications.