Research Scientist (f/m/x) for Ecological Modelling and Model Integration
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung UFZ · Germany
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Place of work
Leipzig or Halle Working time
100% (39h/Woche) The job position is available for full-time or part-time employment.
Contract limitations
limited contract / 31.08.2029 Salary
Remuneration according to the TVöD public-sector up to pay grade 13 including attractive public-sector social security benefits. Contact
Your contact for any questions you may have about the job:
Petra Jacobs
petra.jacobs@ufz.de
Dr. Nils Hein
nils.hein@ufz.de
Your application
To ensure a fair selection process, please submit your application (cover letter, CV, and relevant supporting documents) via our online portal without a photo, age information, or details about your marital status.
Diversity and Inclusion
The UFZ values diversity and is actively committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of their origin, religion, beliefs, disability, age or sexual identity.
We welcome people who represent diverse backgrounds, identities and perspectives. We therefore particularly encourage people who are affected by structural discrimination to apply to us.
The UFZ
The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is a world-leading institution in environmental research and a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific organisation. With approximately 1,200 employees across Leipzig, Halle, and Magdeburg, we have been conducting research since 1991 using a transdisciplinary approach to address the most pressing challenges of our time: biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental pollution. Our goal is to translate excellent research into practical solutions for policymakers, business, and society, and to serve as a reliable partner in supporting transformation processes toward a sustainable and just future for current and future generations. We foster a culture of collaboration, openness, and diversity within a work environment that actively promotes creativity and personal development.
The job
The newly established research group BirdTwin is seeking a Research Scientist (f/m/x) for Ecological Modelling and Model Integration to help build the ecological modelling backbone of a Digital Twin for analysing and visualising European bird diversity.
The BirdTwin project aims to establish a scalable, reproducible and operational modelling infrastructure that combines heterogeneous biodiversity monitoring, environmental and remote sensing data with ecological models. The resulting Digital Twin will generate spatially and temporally explicit biodiversity indicators and enable future scenario analyses to support research as well as evidence-based policy and management decisions.
As part of an interdisciplinary team, you will work at the interface of ecological modelling, data science and research software engineering. Rather than developing ecological models in isolation, you will help ensure that they become robust, reproducible and sustainably integrated components of a long-term scientific infrastructure. Working closely with the ecological modelling team of our sister project BirdFutures, you will actively shape both the scientific and technical evolution of the BirdTwin platform.
Your tasks
Working closely with the group leader and partners across the overarching TripleBird project, you will:
- co-develop, implement and further advance ecological modelling approaches for analysing and forecasting bird diversity
- develop reproducible ecological modelling and analysis workflows to derive spatially and temporally explicit biodiversity indicators and support future scenario analyses
- take main responsibility for model integration, validation, documentation, quality assurance and long-term model stewardship
- collaborate with Research Software Engineers to integrate ecological models into standardised, reproducible analysis environments and data-driven infrastructures
- contribute to the development of sustainable scientific data products that translate complex modelling outputs into actionable information for researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders
- work closely with ecologists, data scientists and project partners to continuously improve the modelling landscape of the TripleBird project
We offer
- The freedom to master even the most demanding challenges between basic research and practical application
- The chance to work in interdisciplinary, international teams and benefit from a variety of perspectives
- Firstclass integration into national and international research networks to work together on global challenges
- Excellent research infrastructure and research data management to optimally support your work
- Flexible working hours and a wide range of options for balancing work and care responsibilities through our family office
- Competent support and advice for international colleagues arriving at the UFZ from the 'International Office'
- Special annual payment, capital-forming benefits and subsidised Germany Job Ticket
- A workplace in a vibrant region with a high life quality and social and cultural diversity
Your profile
- Completed university degree (Master's, Diploma or Ph.D.) in Quantitative Ecology, Computational Biology, Biogeography, Statistics, Environmental Sciences, Applied Systems Science or a comparable quantitative discipline
- Strong background in the development and application of ecological modelling approaches, particularly species distribution models (SDMs), occupancy models, or comparable biodiversity modelling approaches, including their conceptualisation, implementation and evaluation
- Excellent analytical skills and strong programming proficiency in R; experience with Python and additional programming languages is an advantage
- Proven experience working with biodiversity, environmental or other heterogeneous spatial datasets, including GIS-based spatial analyses
- Proven experience with reproducible scientific workflows, version control (e.g. Git) and the principles of FAIR data management
- Experience in Research Software Engineering is desirable, but not required
- Strong interest in the integration, quality assurance and long-term stewardship of ecological models within interdisciplinary research projects as well as collaborative scientific software development
- Experience with or a strong interest in animal population modelling is desirable
- Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of German or additional European languages is an advantage
- Strong communication and teamwork skills with enthusiasm for working in an interdisciplinary research environment at the interface of ecology, data science and Research Software Engineering
Application deadline: 23.08.2026
More information about jobs at the UFZ:
www.ufz.de/career