Job Description

The climate needs bright minds. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) addresses crucial scientific questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. It is one of the world's leading research institutions in its field and offers natural and social scientists from around the world an inspiring environment for excellent interdisciplinary research.

To support the Earth Resilience Science Unit, PIK, is offering a

Student Assistant - position (m/f/d)

(Position number: 31-2025 SHK ERSU)





starting

as soon as possible

.





The position

is funded until 30.06.2027

. The remuneration is determined according to the guidelines of the TdL. The current hourly rate for a student assistant with a Bachelor's degree is 14,59 € (without a Bachelor's degree 13,98 €). This is a part-time position with a weekly working time of 20 hours per week.





The Earth Resilience Science Unit (ERSU) serves as a bridge group between PIK and the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA), and aims to develop a framework to characterize the resilience of the Earth System in the Anthropocene, exploring stability landscapes of critical geophysical, ecological and societal components, which are only fragmentarily known so far. This includes the identification of critical conditions and tipping points for these subsystems, their capacity to resist to and recover from disruptions, as well as the risk of cascading interactions between them. In particular, for the stability of the ice sheets in Antarctic and Greenland and their role for potential global sea level rise, we have improved our understanding with the help of the modeling work within the ICE theme and within the worldwide community of ice sheet model intercomparison, (e.g. ISMIP).

Key responsibilities:

Support of ongoing research projects through preparation and analysis of data sets and literature, including ESM model output data cleaning, sorting and bias corrections as well as preparation of run scripts for standalone model simulations Plotting of scientific results, drafting of illustrative figures and sketches requiring knowledge of Earth System dynamis Review of scientific literature Maintenance of the websites of the ERSU and central research projects such as the Tipping Points Modeling Intercomparison Project (TIPMIP) Support in the preparation, follow-up and conducting of conferences and workshops Support in project coordination and administration of central research projects

You are a Bachelor or Master student, enrolled at a German university, and ideally meet the following requirements:

Background in Climate, Geo or Earth System sciences Interest in research, preferably in a Climate and Earth system research environment Ideally experience with programming languages such as Python and UNIX systems Ideally experience with WordPress or comparable content management systems

We expect:

the ability to work independently and on your own initiative a methodical and systematic approach structured and goal-oriented thinking capacity to familiarise yourself quickly with new topics creativity and openness to new approaches a high level of competence in oral and written German and English reliability, engagement, and a high level of motivation capacity for teamwork

We offer:

the chance to be part of an engaged, interdisciplinary team, a stimulating working environment in an internationally recognised research institute on Potsdam's beautiful, historic Telegrafenberg campus, a short commuting distance from Berlin, company KITA/kids day nursery “Geolino” directly in the science park on Telegrafenberg, within walking distance of PIK flexi-time and mobile working (up to 50% of your hours), a collective pay scheme and associated benefits as well as a subsidized travel card or Deutschland-Ticket Job.

PIK values equality and diversity. We encourage applications without photo. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of ethnic and social origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, care responsibilities, or age. PIK seeks to increase the share of women in scientific positions and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. In cases of equal qualification and within the given legal scope, women will be given preference. PIK also encourages applications by parents returning from parental leave.



Please apply by

24.08.2025

directly via our application form .



For further information or to discuss the position please contact Julia Zinn.