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Biological systems are inherently complex, adaptive, and dynamic across spatial and temporal scales. Climate change, resource scarcity, and the need for circularity in agriculture and biotechnology demand novel approaches for system-level analysis and prediction. The Simulation and Data Lab Digital Bioeconomy (SDL-DBE) provides simulation tools and data infrastructures to meet these challenges in the digital transformation of bioeconomy.
As part of the Centre for Advanced Simulation and Analytics (CASA) at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), SDL-DBE brings together scientific expertise from six participating institutes at Forschungszentrum Jülich: IBG-1 to IBG-5 and IAS-8. The lab develops and applies multiscale models, AI-enhanced simulations, and computational workflows across IBG-relevant domains such as plant science, microbial systems, and circular bioprocesses. It thus supports simulation-based research within the Helmholtz research fields Information as well as Earth and Environment contributing to national and European research infrastructures and collaborations in the field of data-intensive biosciences.
Doctoral Call for four Research Projects
SDL-DBE actively contributes to collaborative doctoral and interdisciplinary research projects. Currently, there are four (4) open PhD calls, one each for the following projects.
Click to get more information on the individual projects.
- Linking Molecular scale Interactions of Soil Organic matter with Water retention in Soil-Plant systems (MISOWASP)
- Process-based integrated modeling of rhizosphere N cycling for improved plant N uptake (PINM)
- Bacterial protein secretion: from modeling and data analysis to application (ProSec)
- In vivo quantification of carbon allocation in plant root networks (VICAR)
Application Procedure
You are interested to apply?
Make sure you meet the requirements. You should have Adequate English Proficiency and must hold a Master's Degree or Diploma (or an estimated graduation date within the year of application) in computer science, applied mathematics, or natural sciences, preferably with interdisciplinary training at the interface of natural and computer science or mathematics.
The following documents are required for your application:
- Motivation Letter: stating what PhD project(s) you are applying for and why are you interested in them? What are your current research interests? (in English, max. 600 words)
- Curriculum Vitae: with relevant credentials, qualifications (incl. your experience with scientific software, programming, and software development), contact information of your Master's Thesis Advisor
- Certificates & Transcripts of grades of Your Master's and Bachelor's Degrees: we accept degrees in German or English or certified and notarized translations of your degree; if you cannot upload a Certificate of your Master's degree yet, please upload a document with the envisioned date of graduation, the thesis title, and a short outline
Get the documents ready to upload in PDF Format. Applications are submitted via the FZJ online recruitment portal linked in the "Apply now button" below.
Positions open until filled.
Letzte Änderung: 23.10.2025