Postdoc: Terrestrial ecosystem modelling

Our group

Our group for Geocomputation and Earth Observation develops new models and model-data integration methods to gain a mechanistic understanding of biogeochemical cycling of terrestrial ecosystems, water-carbon coupling, and forest responses to climate change. We are hosted at the Institute of Geography, University of Bern, and work at the intersection of terrestrial ecology, earth system science, earth observation, and data science. Within the bi-national multi-PI project UP-SCALE – Understanding VPD impacts on forests across scales to advance the next generation of Earth‑system models, we are recruiting a Postdoc (3.5 years).

• Integrate a hydraulics‑explicit representation of photosynthesis, transpiration, and their acclimation (P‑hydro) into a vegetation demography model (BiomeEP).
• Break new ground in using eco‑evolutionary optimality principles for simulating tree hydraulic and architectural trait acclimation.
• Conduct methods development for model‑data integration on the basis of data from ecosystem manipulation experiments, sap flow measurements, and others.
• Assess model performance for predicting trait distributions, community compositions, ecosystem fluxes, and forest structures along aridity gradients.
• Conduct past‑to‑future simulations, separating effects of long‑term trends in VPD, CO₂, tree community shifts, and acclimation.
• Build on and integrate into the UP‑SCALE project, collaborating closely with project partners, and co‑supervising the two PhD students funded through the project.
• Reliable and reusable code development, active participation and regular exchange as a group member based in Bern, presentations at national and international conferences, publication of your research emerging from this project in peer‑reviewed scientific journals.

The candidate must hold a PhD degree in a relevant discipline and should demonstrate proficient English written and oral skills and excellent analytical and numerical skills. Demonstrated experience with programming (ideally R and Fortran), collaborative code management, and other data science methods are a prerequisite and an open and collaborative mentality for the development of our computational infrastructure is expected.

We offer the candidate to be part of a small group with a strong collaborative philosophy and to benefit from a leading academic environment, from an international collaboration within the UP‑SCALE project and from the excellent quality of life in Switzerland. You will be hosted at the Institute of Geography and will be part of the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR).

For further information about our group please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

• International reputation
• Inspiring work environment
• Central location in the heart of Bern
• Collaborative environment and ambitious team