(W-0061) Postdoc Position on Land’s Influence on the General Circulation
THE POSITION
We invite you to apply for a 2-year position as
Postdoctoral Scientist (W-0061 | all genders)
in the Climate Dynamics Department. The role of land in shaping the large-scale atmospheric circulation remains incompletely understood, particularly in how land influences climate variability and response to forcing. The successful candidate will use idealized simulations with the ICON model to isolate mechanisms by which land affects ENSO, the local Hadley Circulations, and the subtropical anticyclones. They will also investigate the two-way relationship between land temperatures and sea surface temperature patterns.
The successful postdoc will lead the design and analysis of the experiments and is expected to develop independent research directions within this framework, in collaboration with Sarah Kang and Moritz Guenther.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
- Conduct idealized experiments with the ICON model to isolate land-atmosphere interactions
- Develop mechanistic explanations for land influences on large-scale circulation and variability
- Lead first-author publications
YOUR PROFILE
- PhD in Physics, Meteorology, Atmospheric or Climate Sciences or a related discipline by start date
- Excellent analytical and programming skills, evidence of mechanistic thinking
- Strong publication record in atmospheric dynamics or related fields
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively
- Demonstrated experience with climate models is desired
OUR OFFER
- Opportunities to co-supervise students
- Participation in a challenging part of science in an international, intellectually stimulating environment
- Access to complex workflows on the bleeding edge of what is technologically possible, as well as working for and with an open-source community
- A network of very experienced and innovative colleagues within the institute, and at partner institutions with a long-proven tradition of sharing knowledge and information
- Possibility for flexible time-management and measures to support work-life balance
- Attractive benefits incl. subsidy for public transport across Germany (Deutschlandticket)
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS
- The position is to be filled as soon as possible, with a preferred start date of September 2026
- Payment will be in accordance with German public service positions depending on qualification (E14 TVöD), including extensive social security plans.
The conditions of employment, including upgrades and duration, follow the rules of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science and those of the German civil service - The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds
- The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Candidates will be evaluated based on:
- Conceptual understanding of atmospheric dynamics
- Ability to design and interpret numerical experiments
- Evidence of independence
- Quality of scientific writing
INTERESTED?
We are looking forward to receiving your online application by June 15th, 2026 (23:59 CET)
The application documents should include:
- A complete curriculum vitae including list of publications
- A motivation letter (maximum 2 pages) that summarizes past research and the candidate’s fit to work in this project
- Contact information of three references
ABOUT US
The Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M) is a multidisciplinary center for climate and Earth system research located in Hamburg, Germany. It is one of the premier climate science research institutes in the world. Located in the heart of one of Europe’s most livable and vibrant cities, it provides a highly international and interdisciplinary environment to conduct scientific research as well as access to state-of-the-art scientific facilities. You can also have a virtual tour to our campus.
CONTACT
For further information, please contact Dr. Moritz Guenther
Please do not forward your application to this email address. The application documents (PDF only) need to be submitted through this online application system.
