Research Associate (Doctoral Candidate) (f/m/d) within the Cluster of Excellence "The Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface"

Universität Bremen

The University of Bremen at MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences within the Cluster of Excellence “The Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface” is seeking to fill - subject to the approval of funds – starting on January 1, 2026 at the earliest, 1 position as

Research Associate (Doctoral Candidate) (f/m/d) within the Cluster of Excellence “The Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface"

German Salary Scale 13 TV-L/TVöD (depending on the project partner) at 75% of the regular weekly working hours (29.4 working hours / week) for a fixed-term period of 4 years, until at most December 31, 2029 (according to § 2 WissZeitVG) with the aim of obtaining a doctorate. International applications are expressly encouraged. We aim to increase the proportion of women and strongly encourage female applicants to apply. The Cluster of Excellence is a joint project of the Universities of Bremen and Oldenburg and a consortium of five partner institutions: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Constructor University and the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg - Institute for Advanced Study. Funded by the German Excellence Strategy, the cluster quantifies exchange processes at the ocean floor and investigates their role in the Earth system. The cluster's research portfolio consists of projects that (i) decipher the processes that control the transport of biogenic particles to the ocean floor under changing climate conditions, (ii) balance the transfer of carbon and other elements between the ocean floor and seawater, (iii) investigate how ecosystems on the ocean floor react to environmental changes and (iv) develop scenarios for a “warmer world” from climate archives on the ocean floor with the help of climate models. Further information about the Cluster of Excellence can be found at https://theoceanfloor.de. Along these central research topics, the Cluster offers a structured training for doctoral students in an interdisciplinary framework of marine biogeochemistry, marine geosciences, marine (micro)biology and (paleo)climatology. The cluster offers a versatile qualification program in which doctoral researchers can strengthen their professional competence and develop their personal skills. The program offers rich opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration across different disciplines of marine sciences, including research stays at partner institutions. Further details on the training program can be found at https://www.marum.de/en/The-Ocean-Floor/ECR-support.html. In this context, the partner institutions of the cluster invite applications for: Doctoral researcher position in the area:

• EXC1-15 Decoding feedbacks and thresholds

https://theoceanfloor.de/en/The-Ocean-Floor/Career/Jobs/EXC-DR-1-15.html Project Description: Understanding cause-and-effect relationships is a key motivation for using numerical models in Earth-System science. Comprehensive climate or ecosystem models have reached a level of complexity that render traditional approaches to analyze causality (e.g. by means of sensitivity experiments) practically impossible. Feedback mechanisms and the threshold behavior in such models are therefore often only interpreted regarding assumed underlying mechanisms instead of analyzing the system thoroughly. At the same time and from the dynamical systems perspective, model experiments provide a complete description of the state of the system and its changes. The project will employ state-of-the-art methods (e.g. convergent cross mapping, transfer entropy) from non-linear dynamics and network analysis to infer causality in model simulations. A key goal is to infer causality based on objectively analyzing model results instead of seeking for patterns along assumed cause-and-effect chains. Model experiments for the project will be available. Initially, the project will focus on self-sustained oscillations of the large-scale ocean overturning circulation. These quasi-periodic oscillations occur in different settings of a climate model and have periods ranging from centuries to millennia. In a second step, experiments with transitions between stable states (e.g. sea-ice coverage in the Arctic) will be analyzed in terms of the feedbacks underlying the threshold behavior. For this part of the project, output from climate models as well as from marine ecosystem models will be used. It is expected that the intended causality analysis is a major enabler for Earth system and ecosystem modeling, as it empowers us to uncover the true mechanisms behind environmental changes. Modalities: The doctoral project will be supervised by Bernd Blasius (University of Oldenburg) and Michael Schulz (University of Bremen). Depending on the personal expertise of the doctoral candidate, it will be supervised within the working group “Mathematical Modeling” (Oldenburg) or the working group “Geosystem Modeling” (Bremen). Main Tasks: Scientific research in the field of applied mathematics and non-linear system dynamics, Analysis of numerical model experiments, writing of scientific publications, and participation in international conferences. Formal requirements: Completed scientific university degree (Master/University diploma or comparable) in physics, mathematics, meteorology or related discipline. It is recommended to contact the cluster spokesperson Prof. Heiko Pälike (speaker-exc-oceanfloor@uni-bremen.de). Questions about the project can be addressed to Bernd Blasius (bernd.blasius@uni-oldenburg.de) or Michael Schulz (mschulz@marum.de). Place of employment and remuneration (TV-L or TVöD) depend on the partner institutions where the project is located. We offer you:

• A secure salary and statutory health and social insurance.
• In the Cluster of Excellence, doctoral researchers are mentored by a team of experienced scientists and benefit from a large international network of doctoral researchers.
• We offer flexible working hours and the opportunity to work remotely. In addition, 30 days of vacation are standard with us.
• Our health management offers you, e.g., discounted company fitness programs, as well as internal health-promoting offers (e.g. health courses).
• Easy access to your workplace by public transport or bicycle.

All partner institutions in the cluster pursue a strategy of diversity. We therefore welcome all applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity. Disabled persons with essentially equal professional and personal qualifications will be given priority when applying. The application must include a letter of motivation, your CV with certificates, a list of publications (if applicable) and the contact details of two references. Please send your application with your complete and informative documents, quoting the reference number A257-25, by 12.12.2025 as a single PDF file by unencrypted electronic mail to: office-exc-oceanfloor@uni-bremen.de or by mail to: MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen
University of Bremen
Prof. Dr. Heiko Pälike
Leobener Street 8
28359 Bremen
Bremen, Germany Please note that no photos are to be attached to the application documents. We ask you to submit only copies (no portfolios), as we cannot return them. Once the selection process has been completed, your application documents will be stored in accordance with the legal requirements and then destroyed.
Any costs for the application procedure cannot be reimbursed.