PhD Positions in Environmental Data Science, Climate Disasters, and Freshwater Protection

The Helmholtz School for Integrated Data Science in Environmental & Life Sciences (IDEAS) is recruiting excellent PhD candidates for fully funded positions at the intersection of data science, environmental science, and life sciences. The program is based in Dresden, Germany, with collaborations involving UFZ, Leipzig University, and TU Dresden. The research topics include biodiversity estimation, climate disaster impact analysis, and innovative approaches to freshwater protection using advanced data science and machine learning techniques. PhD projects cover areas such as understanding the drivers of climate disaster impacts, integrating citizen observations with regulatory and chemical analytics for freshwater protection, and developing robust machine learning approaches for environmental data. Supervisors include leading academics from UFZ and Leipzig University, such as Prof. Dr. Jakob Zscheischler, Prof. Dr. Miguel Mahecha, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Marlene Kretschmer, Prof. Dr. Jörg Hackermüller, and Prof. Dr. Gerik Scheuermann. All positions are fully funded according to TVöD E13 for three years, with a possible one-year extension. The program offers a highly interdisciplinary environment, access to high-performance computing, and the possibility to obtain a PhD degree from either Leipzig University or TU Dresden. Applicants must have a strong background in data science, computer science, mathematics, physics, environmental science, or related fields, with excellent programming and English language skills. The application deadline is February 22, 2026. Candidates can apply for advertised projects or propose their own ideas within the Innovation Track, which requires contacting two PIs for support. The selection process is excellence-based, with interviews held online. For more information and to apply, visit the IDEAS application portal.