Postdoctoral Researcher (f_m_x) – HYDROCONNECT-HYDROPREDICT

How does hydrological connectivity interact to influence water storage, runoff generation, groundwater recharge, and streamflow across the landscape? This position is part of the project “Securing Terrestrial Water Cycles: the Helmholtz SOlution Lab Elbe RiVEr Basin (SOLVE)” (funded by the Helmholtz Association). We are looking for a candidate to investigate the hydrological/hydrogeological connectivity in the Elbe River basin to assess groundwater resilience under climatic and water management scenarios. Activities will rely on coupled hydrological and groundwater modelling combined with machine learning techniques to quantify groundwater recharge and resilience to climate variability, predict possible developments under future climate change, and thus provide guidance for its sustainable management. The successful candidate will closely interact with other partners in SOLVE and, in particular, in the WP HYDROCONNECT, where soil moisture connectivity and its relationship with streamflow will be quantified using satellite data, and gravity-based terrestrial water storage observations will be integrated with isotopic tracer methods and geophysical monitoring.

Your responsibilities:

• Develop a hybrid framework to approximate groundwater recharge from a distributed hydrologic model and translate it into groundwater table fluctuations (WTF) for its direct use in groundwater modelling
• Employ xAI to uncover the key climatic, land surface, and hydrogeological drivers underpinning the recharge WTF-dynamics and to reduce uncertainty in recharge estimation
• Introduce groundwater resilience analysis by linking recharge dynamics with aquifer response under stress scenarios
• Use of explainable AI to identify factors influencing groundwater resilience under different demand-recharge scenarios
• Interpretation and publication of results in peer-reviewed journals

About You:

Essential Qualifications:

• A PhD degree in Physics, Mathematics or Geosciences is mandatory
• Knowledge of thermal-hydraulic physical processes
• Knowledge in 3D hydrological and hydrogeological modelling and numerical methods

Desirable qualifications:

• Programming skills are an advantage
• Very good communication skills
• Very good English language skills

What we offer:

• Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
• State-of-the-art equipment
• Public service benefits
• Extensive training opportunities
• Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
• Flexible working hours and conditions
• Support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
• Institute day-care centre on site
• Working at the Albert Einstein Science Park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
• Workplace within walking distance of Potsdam main train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus

Start date: 1st July 2026

Fixed term: 18 months (latest until 31.12.2028)

Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.

Working hours: Full-time (currently 39 h/week); The position is generally suitable for part-time work.

Place of work: Potsdam

Required documents:

• CV (with scientific publication list, if applicable)
• Cover letter on research interests and motivation (letter of motivation)
• Names and contact information of two referees
• Transcripts and diplomas for MSc and PhD degrees (certificates/grades); if not available, a confirmation from your institution on the completed degree by the application deadline