The Chair for Climate Resilience of Cultural Ecosystems at the Centre for Climate Resilience, University of Augsburg has a vacancy starting 1 October 2026 for a
Research Assistant (m/f/d)
with the possibility of enrolling in a PhD programme on the following topic:
Agricultural systems and resource modelling for optimal maize production, focusing on the integration of artificial intelligence with process-based models under the SAI-CROP project
in fixed-term employment for a period of 3 years (pay group 13 TV-L 75%).
The research assistant (m/f/d) will be part of the SAI-CROP project, a funded collaborative initiative between the German and South African Governments in the field of “Artificial Intelligence for Societal Transformation” (South African/German Cooperation Research Programme 2025, ZADE-AI). The project is jointly conducted with two South African Universities, Sol Plaatje University and the University of Limpopo. As a result, the successful applicant (m/f/d) will be required to travel to South Africa occasionally for field data collection and other project-related activities.
Your responsibilities:
- Work on process-based simulation models to regionalize results from field experiments and remotely sensed-data for optimizing maize productivity in Germany and South Africa.
- Enhance process-based simulation workflows using AI-driven big data integration approaches
- Generate novel, innovative and scalable insights for optimizing resources, monitoring maize conditions, accurately predicting maize productivity across diverse agroecologies, and targeting context-specific climate change adaptation.
Recruitment requirements:
- A Master’s degree in physical geography, agronomy, geosciences, data science, climate change, or a closely related discipline. Relevant work experience is an advantage
- Experience with agricultural systems models such as DSSAT, APSIM, or AquaCROP
- Experience working with Earth Observation data (e.g., Sentinel, Landsat, PlanetScope) for crop mapping, yield estimation, and environmental monitoring
- Experience with geospatial analysis using GIS software (e.g., QGIS or ArcGIS) and spatial data processing
- Programming experience in Python and/or R, including geospatial and scientific data analysis
- Strong scientific writing skills with experience preparing technical reports, publications, and project deliverables
- Excellent command of English (written and spoken)
Additional Qualifications (Advantageous):
- Understanding of data assimilation and integration of remote sensing with crop models
- Proven experience in machine learning for Earth system applications, including hybrid modelling approaches that combine data-driven AI methods with process-based environmental or agricultural models.
- At least one publication in high-impact international peer-reviewed journals in the topic of machine learning and Earth Observation applications for agricultural systems, including crop mapping, yield prediction, and integration of remote sensing with process-based crop models.
What we offer:
- A dynamic, interdisciplinary and cooperative team in an excellent work environment.
- Contribution to topical research on climate resilience
- A strong support in your own research endeavours
The research assistant (m/f/d) will be integrated into the Climate Resilience of Cultural Ecosystems Research working group, a team engaged in investigating the impacts of climate change on land use and agriculture, as well as adaptation in the context of global challenges such as food security. The research assistant (m/f/d) will have the possibility to enroll into a PhD program at the Institute for Geography, University of Augsburg. The Institute of Geography offers a comprehensive program of graduate courses for PhD students.
The University of Augsburg promotes professional equality for women. Women are expressly encouraged to apply. The University of Augsburg is particularly committed to the compatibility of family and working life. For more information, please contact the Faculty's Women's Representative. Applicants with severe disabilities (m/f/d) will be given preference if their suitability, qualifications, and professional performance are otherwise essentially equal.
The application documents (including a letter of motivation, a CV, bachelor's and master's certificates, and names of two referees) should be submitted as a single pdf file by
1 August 2026
to:
Dr Harison Kipkulei
University of Augsburg
Chair for Climate Resilience of Cultural Ecosystems
E-mail: [email protected]
Review of applications will start on 3 August 2026 and continue until the position is filled. For further information, please contact Dr Harison Kipkulei.
