[PhD Position] Re-Programming the Global Hydrological Model WaterGAP


Posted by Martin Park on Aug. 26, 2021

Link to position description

Research Scientist (m/w/d)

100% E13 TV-G-U

Application deadline: 10.10.2021

The position will be filled as early as possible. The salary grade is based on the job characteristics of the collective agreement applicable to Goethe University (TV-G-U).

Water is life! But in many regions of the Earth water for humans and ecosystems is getting scarcer. The Working Group Hydrology is a worldwide leading research group in the field of global hydrological modeling. Applying and further developing the global water resources and use model WaterGAP, a major aim is to achieve an improved assessment of water scarcity and water-related risks due to climate variability and human impacts, in particular water use and climate change. WaterGAP simulates the interactions of soils, groundwater, rivers, lakes, wetlands and humans on all continents (except Antarctica). Research with WaterGAP thus contributes to a sustainable management of freshwater.

Like most research software that has been developed over many years, WaterGAP is not coded according to the state of the art of software design. This hinders an efficient further development as well as its application by many other scientists who have shown interest in WaterGAP. Therefore, the hydrologists who have developed WaterGAP are very glad that the German ResearchFoundation has provided funds for the re-programming of WaterGAP in the framework of a Ph.D. study. This study also aims at obtaining general findings about re-programming of geoscientific legacy software.

Job description:

You will re-program and document the WaterGAP software according to state-of-the-art principles of software design such that it can be efficiently applied and advanced by non-computer scientists. You will be supported by the team of WaterGAP developers in Frankfurt and Bochum, a computer scientist who developed a global groundwater model in the Working Group Hydrology and thus obtained a Ph.D., a software consultant and Prof. Dr. Ivan Kisel, a specialist for HPC software development. Further training and support is offered by the graduate academy GRADE of Goethe University. In accordance with your academic background and interest, you can obtain the doctorate either in computer science (with Prof. Kisel) or in hydrology (with Prof. Döll).

A prerequisite for hiring is a Master degree in computer science, environmental informatics, geoinformatics or in a natural sciences or engineering discipline (minimum grade of 2.0). Knowledge about and experience with software design are required. Experiences with Python, C++, GitHub, parallel computing, containers and design patterns are a plus. We expect a strong interest in obtaining a deep understanding of the concepts of global hydrological modeling. Persons who are enthusiastic about research, show initiative and enjoy working in a team would fit well into our working group.

The Goethe University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women to apply. Candidates with severe disabilities will be given preferential consideration in case of equal qualification.

The university is committed to equal rights for women and men and therefore strongly encourages women to apply. Severely disabled persons are given priority in the case of equal qualifications.

Please send your application until 10.10.2021 by email as a single pdf file containing the cover letter (including motivation and fit), curriculum vitae, certificates, abstract of Master thesis and the contact details of two references to Prof. Dr. Petra Döll (p.doell@em.uni-frankfurt.de, http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/45217668/dl).