PhD in Process-based Crop Modelling of Biotic–Abiotic Stress Interactions in Maize (Agricultural Sciences, Systems Biology) University of Göttingen in Germany

The Institute of Tropical Plant Production and Agricultural Systems Modelling (TROPAGS) at the University of Göttingen, Germany, is offering a four-year PhD scholarship position focused on process-based crop modelling of biotic–abiotic stress interactions in maize. This opportunity is part of the DFG-funded Research Unit MultiStress, which investigates how maize responds to multiple, interacting abiotic (e.g., drought, nitrogen deficit) and biotic (e.g., Setosphaeria turcica) stress factors. The project aims to improve understanding and prediction of crop performance under complex stress environments through an integrated experimental–modelling approach.

The PhD project will extend and apply the MultiStress crop model to represent and analyze the effects of Setosphaeria turcica on maize growth, yield, and quality, and its interactions with water and nutrient stress across environments. Main tasks include developing and implementing new routines describing disease effects on maize physiological processes, integrating and testing these routines within the MultiStress crop model, calibrating and validating the model using experimental data from field trials, analyzing model outputs, and collaborating with other subprojects within the Research Unit. Publishing research in international peer-reviewed journals is expected.

Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Crop Science, Agronomy, Agricultural or Environmental Sciences, Plant Pathology, Systems Biology, or a related field. Required skills include quantitative crop modelling, programming and data analysis (e.g., R, Python), experience with process-based models, and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary and international team. Proficiency in English is essential. The position is specifically directed toward East African students to support their doctoral research and strengthen academic collaboration between Germany and East Africa.

The scholarship offers a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and internationally leading research environment, excellent supervision and training opportunities, access to unique experimental datasets and high-performance computing infrastructure, and opportunities for international collaboration and conference participation. The application deadline is 04.01.2026, and interviews will be held in January 2026. For more information, contact Prof. Reimund Rötter or Dr. Munir Hoffmann at the University of Göttingen.