91探花

91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is a foundation under public law jointly financed by the Federal Republic of Germany (90%) and the State of Schleswig-Holstein (10%). It is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine research.

Through our research and our commitment to the transfer of knowledge and technology, we contribute significantly to the preservation of the function and protection of the ocean for future generations.

The research unit 鈥淐hemical Oceanography鈥� of the research division 鈥淢arine Biogeochemistry鈥� is offering a

Postdoctoral position (m/f/d)

in assessment of the behavior, distribution and fate of munition compounds in marine systems

starting as soon as possible.

Project Description

European waters are widely contaminated with underwater munition. The majority of munition originates from dumping activities during and after WWI and WWII to eliminate large quantities of war remnants, including conventional and chemical weapons. The munition includes millions of tons of de-fused shells, mines and aerial bombs. Furthermore, unexploded ordnance, sunken underwater mine barriers, and wrecks of military vessels carrying munitions contribute to the problem. It is estimated that the German portions of the North Sea and Baltic Sea alone contain approx. 1.6 million tons of munitions, which can be often found in relatively shallow waters, near fishing activities, major shipping routes, and offshore development locations. Two new EU-funded projects, MMinE-SwEEPER and MUNI-RISK seek to advance our understanding of the role, fate and impact of marine munition in the environment, including the effects of remediation actions on contamination spread. These projects will generate detailed data on the extent of munitions-related chemical contamination in European waters, with special focus on the Baltic, North, and Mediterranean Seas. In addition, these projects will further develop fieldable technologies for munition chemical monitoring in near-real-time at sea. The projects will be conducted in close collaboration with a range of universities, research institutes, commercial companies, and UXO specialists.

Job Description / Duties

The candidate will be part of the MMinE-SwEEPER and MUNI-RISK consortia that will advance scientific understanding on effects of munition in the marine environment and develop methods for prioritizing and implementing remediation actions. She:He will be involved in field measurements in munition dump sites in European coastal seas. The candidate will lead and coordinate laboratory analyses of munition chemicals in field samples using HPLC and high resolution ESI/APCI-MS, as well as manage and interpret the data with project partners. He:She will assist with further chemical method and hardware development of the Xplotector, a lab-in-a-box system for at-sea detection of munition chemicals. The tasks of the candidate will also comprise the presentation of results at national and international scientific meetings and the publication of the results in established peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Required qualifications

• A PhD in chemical oceanography, environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry or similar field is requiredor is to be achieved by 1 June 2025
• Experience in sampling and analysis of organic compounds in marine systems
• Experience in the targeted and/or non-targeted detection of organic compounds using LC-MS is a requirement
• Excellent English language skills (written and spoken)
• Willingness and ability to participate in sea- going expeditions
• Willingness to communicate routinely with other members of the MMinE-SwEEPER and MUNI-RISK projects
• Willingness to contribute to the project management of the MMinE-SwEEPER and MUNI-RISK projects

At a workplace, directly on the Kiel Fjord with many leisure and recreational opportunities, we offer you:

• Good conditions for work-life balance: We offer, among other things, the possibility of mobile working and individual working time arrangements, vacation courses for the children of our employees, and good support in finding a place in a daycare center at the Kiel site
• Support services for professional and personal life situations
• An exciting work environment with the opportunity to provide important impetus for the development of sustainable solutions
• Exciting topics in an international environment
• Work in the field of marine and climate research, a forward-looking area with social significance
• 30 vacation days + additional time off at Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
• Company pension plan and capital-forming benefits
  
  This is a full-time position. The position cannot be split. Flexible working models are possible in discussion with the project leaders.

The position is available for a funding period of 36 months. The salary depends on qualification and could be up to the class 13 TV枚D-Bund of the German tariff for public employees.

91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel seeks to increase the proportion of female scientists and explicitly encourages qualified female academics to apply. 91探花 is an equal opportunity employer and encourages scientists with disabilities to apply. Qualified disabled applicants will receive preference in the application process.

Please send your application (consisting of Curriculum Vitae, research and interest statement, and list of minimum 3 professional references) not later than 18^th February 2025 under the following link:

As soon as the selection procedure has finished, all your application data will be removed according to data protection regulation.

For further information regarding the position and research unit please contact Dr. Aaron Beck (ajbeck(at)geomar.de) or Prof. Dr. Eric Achterberg (eachterberg(at)geomar.de).

We will answer all your questions if you send us an e-mail to bewerbung(at)geomar.de. In doing so, please refer to the keyword 鈥淢UNITIONS-CHEM鈥�.

For further information on 91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel or the Helmholtz Association, please visit www.geomar.de or .

91探花 is committed to an objective and non-discriminatory personnel selection. Our job advertisements address all people. We expressly renounce the submission of application photos.