Research assistant / PhD student (all genders welcome)

Research assistant / PhD student (all genders welcome)

Beginn

The Department of Physical Geography at Georg-August University of Göttingen is seeking to fill the position of a Research assistant / PhD student (all genders welcome) with 75 % of regular weekly working hours (currently 29.85 hours/week). The role is fixed‑term for a period of 3 years and salaried according to pay group 13 TV‑L.

What to expect

• An exciting PhD project aimed at shedding light on landscape water fluxes and soil processes in desert soils of southern Namibia, including several field campaigns and measurements in the field (soil moisture/temperature, infiltration rates, surface runoff, eroded sediment load in surface runoff).
• Laboratory analyses (soil organic carbon fractions, pedogenic iron, carbonates, exchangeable cations, soluble salts) and soil thin‑section preparation and analysis for determining spatial differences in pedogenesis, soil structure, surface crusts and vesicular horizons.
• Participation in the prestigious PhD programme Geography of the Georg-August University School of Science (GAUSS) under joint supervision by an interdisciplinary team of three experienced researchers.
• Integration into the Physical Geography Department at the University of Göttingen, with a welcoming international team and a green campus environment.

Your tasks

• Focus on soil hydrology, resulting landscape water fluxes, and pedogenesis as the PhD candidate in the DFG‑funded project “Desert Pavements: Interactions with Pedogenic and Microbial Processes”.
• Collaboration with a second early‑career researcher at GFZ Potsdam focusing on microbial processes.
• Explore mutual relationships between relief, desert pavements, landscape water fluxes, spatial patterns of pedogenesis and soil properties, and microbial communities.
• Publish results in three papers in international peer‑reviewed journals with support from supervisors.

Your profile

• Master’s degree in geography, geoecology, soil science or a related field with a good to very good grade.
• Profound knowledge in soil hydrology and pedogenesis.
• Prepared to conduct extended fieldwork under basic field conditions.
• Strong soil‑analytical skills and meticulous laboratory work.
• Ability to work independently and in a team, with excellent organization and communication skills.
• Enthusiastic, highly motivated, and ready to handle the physical demand of extended fieldwork.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.
• Experience with extended camping stays in foreign countries, especially in Africa, is advantageous.

The University of Göttingen seeks to increase the proportion of women in underrepresented fields and therefore strongly encourages qualified women to apply. The University also promotes the compatibility of academic/professional life with family life and is committed to the professional participation of employees with disabilities, welcoming applications from people with disabilities and giving preference when qualifications are equal.

Applications, including the usual supporting documents, can be submitted until 30 April 2026 in the form of a single PDF document to the secretary of the department, Ms. Dörte Dede: Georg-August-University Göttingen, Department of Physical Geography, Goldschmidtstr. 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, E‑mail:

Note

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