Background

By breaking and thereby mixing the surrounding waters, internal gravity waves provide some of the energy required to drive the large-scale overturning circulation and are therefore recognized as crucial elements of global ocean dynamics. Their role in the Arctic is less clear. Historically, the interior Arctic Ocean has featured rather weak mixing, which allows for the persistence of a strong halocline: a cold and fresh layer of water insulates the sea ice from the warm and salty waters that enter from the Atlantic Ocean. As global warming induces a dramatic decline in Arctic sea ice, there is the potential for stronger internal wave generation and hence mixing in the Arctic Ocean, which might increase the upward heat fluxes from the Atlantic Water toward the sea ice and accelerate its decline. Testing this hypothesis is a key aim of the Emmy-Noether group Artemics (Arctic internal wave energetics and mixing and its interdependence with sea ice in changing climate conditions) in the Climate Dynamics section at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany. We invite applications for a PhD position to support the research on internal waves in the changing Arctic in this group. A particular focus of this position will be on near-inertial waves, internal waves of near-inertial frequency that are predominantly generated by fluctuating wind stress at the ocean surface, in the changing Arctic and on the interdependence of sea ice and near-inertial wave energetics.

Your Tasks

Contribute to the scientific goals of Artemics by:

  • Estimating the near-inertial wave generation in the Arctic from coupled simulations of different climate states
  • Applying the near-inertial wave generation as a forcing for the internal wave model IDEMIX for the consistent parameterization of wave-driven mixing and evaluating it against observations
  • Presenting the results in group meetings, at conferences, and in journal publications

Your Profile

  • A degree (M.Sc. or university diploma) in oceanography, climate sciences, or a related field
  • Very good programming skills (e.g., Python, Fortran, Matlab; previous experience with ocean modeling or mixing parameterizations is an asset)
  • A strong background in geophysical fluid dynamics (previous experience with internal waves or sea ice is an asset)
  • Very good English and communication skills (approximately equivalent to CEFR level C1)
  • A genuine interest in Arctic Ocean dynamics and in collaborating within diverse teams

Further Information

Contact in day-to-day work: Collaboration mainly with more than 5 people

Communication: predominantly internal (with colleagues and other departments) in the following ways

By telephone: rather rarely (once a month or less)

E-mail: frequently (daily or several times a week)

Video conferencing (e. g. Webex): frequently (daily or several times a week)

Personal contact in presence: frequently (daily or several times a week)

Movement around the workplace: regularly within the building (e.g. between departments or floors)

Business trips: occasional (several times a year)

Expeditions: do not occur

Please note that the general conditions listed serve as a guide and may vary depending on the specific area of application.

For any questions you may have, you are very welcome to get in touch with Dr Friederike Pollmann (friederike.pollmann@awi.de; +49 471 4831-1396).

This position is limited to 3 years. The salary will be paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federation (Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes, TVöD Bund), up to salary level 13 (66 %). The place of employment will be Bremerhaven.

All doctoral candidates will be members of AWI’s postgraduate program POLMAR or another graduate school and thus benefit from a comprehensive training program and extensive support measures. The AWI is characterized by

  • our scientific success - excellent research
  • collaboration and cooperation - intra-institute, national and international, interdisciplinary
  • opportunities to develop – on the job and towards other positions
  • an international environment – everyday contact with people from all over the world
  • flexible working hours and the possibility of mobile working up to 50% of regular working hours
  • health promotion and company fitness with Hansefit and Wellhub
  • support services and a culture of reconciling work and family
  • occupational pension provision (VBL)

AWI values diversity and actively promotes gender parity, as well as an open, inclusive environment that provides equal opportunities. We are convinced that diverse teams and a variety of perspectives enrich our work and our daily collaboration. In a continuous process of learning and reflection, we aim to ensure that all our employees can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from qualified people regardless of binary and non-binary genders, race and nationality, ethnic and social background, religion, age, physical abilities, neurodivergence, sexual orientation, and other identities.

Applicants with disabilities will be given preference when equal qualifications are present.

AWI fosters work-family compatibility in various ways and has received several awards as a result of this commitment. And as a new international member of our team, you can be sure that we will help you settle in. Our Family Office and International Office will be glad to support you, even before you start at AWI.

We look forward to your application! Please submit your application by October 15th 2025, exclusively online. Reference number: 25/101/D/Kli-b

https://jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/2070/Application/CheckLogin/1