PhD Researcher (m/f/d): Understanding climate risks to global food security

PhD Researcher (m/f/d): Understanding climate risks to global food security

Scientist Jena

Developmental and Evolutionary Biology & Genetics Immunobiology and Infection Biology & Medicine Earth Sciences and Climate Research Social Sciences Linguistics

Job Offer from October 23, 2026

The Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA) was founded in summer 2022 and is a dynamically growing, highly-interdisciplinary and international research institution. The research focuses on modeling and analyzing the interrelationships between biophysical and human-made systems, looking from the deep past to the future. The institute examines how humanity has driven the emergence of the Anthropocene – the period in which human activities began significantly impacting our planet’s climate and ecosystems – and identifying potential intervention points towards a more sustainable future.

The Carl Zeiss Stiftung Independent Research Group on High-End Climate Risks (CZS-HECR) at MPI-GEA works towards an end-to-end understanding of worst-case climate outcomes, from unprecedented and compounding extremes to their societal impacts. The group combines fundamental physical process understanding rooted in climate physics and Earth System analyses, targeted climate model experiments, advanced statistics, including machine-learning- and explainable AI to deliver usable climate risk estimates under current and future climates for core societal sectors such as health, food, energy and finance.

Doctoral researchers join an interdisciplinary team, and a broad international network are provided with highly competitive research conditions including generous support for travel and research visits.

Candidate tasks

• Analyse the physical drivers and statistical properties of compounding and record-breaking extreme weather events using observations, reanalysis and climate model output
• Investigate the role of climate change in past, present and future agricultural losses including seasonal changes, the timing and sequencing of single and multi-hazards,
• Develop and apply statistical methods for agricultural impact attribution
• Write and publish your research as a doctoral thesis and papers in international journals
• Present results at conferences and group events, and take part in training such as Summer Schools and Workshops

Your qualification

Essential

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in climate science, atmospheric science, physics, geosciences, environmental science, statistics or a related field
• Programming skills (e.g. Python, R) and experience handling gridded or time-series data
• Strong motivation for independent, interdisciplinary research
• Good command of written and spoken English

Advantageous

• Experience with climate model output, reanalysis data or extreme event analysis
• Knowledge of extreme value statistics, compound events or time-series methods
• Experience with agricultural modelling and agricultural datasets
• Experience with machine learning or causal methods
• Previous research experience, e.g. a Master's thesis in a related topic

Our offer

The position will begin on the 1st of January 2027 though some flexibility in start date is possible. Remuneration will follow the standard PhD salaries given in the Max Planck Society which correspond to 65% of EG 13 TvöD (Bund). The position includes 31 days of annual leave. We also offer attractive and family-friendly flextime and options for remote work. Additional benefits include an employer subsidy for public transport, access to training opportunities within the Max Planck Society, as well as language and health courses. The successful candidate can apply for admission to our graduate school “International Max Planck Research School for Modeling the Anthropocene”.

The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more individuals with disabilities and especially encourages them to apply. We are also committed to encouraging diversity and actively challenging biases based on gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and other components of identity. We were honored with the TOTAL E-QUALITY award for the first time in 2023 for our commitment.

The Max Planck Society supports the compatibility of family and career and is certified according to the "berufundfamilie" (“job and family”) audit.

Your application should include

• A cover letter
• A CV of no more than 3 pages
• A summary of research interests with max. 2 pages
• If applicable a list of relevant scientific, peer-reviewed publications related to the position or a copy of the candidate’s MA/MPhil/MSc thesis
• Contacts of two referees
• Any relevant certificates

Position remains open until filled.

Contact for more information

Application portal

Dr. Kai Kornhuber Email: kornhuber@gea.mpg.de