With 4400 staff members Forschungszentrum Jülich is the largest interdisciplinary research centre in Germany focusing its research in the fields of health, environment and energy, and information technology.
 
For our Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere - Phytosphere (ICG-3) we are seeking a

Doctoral Student

for multi- and hyperspectral imaging for a three-year PhD project

The ICG-3 Institute at Forschungszentrum Jülich aims to understand and apply the dynamics of processes in biogeosystems and control mechanisms on scales from the molecular to the ecosystem level. The more than 100 staff members of the institute include over 50 senior scientists, post-doc researchers, and doctoral students. One focus of the institute's activities is the development and application of non-invasive imaging methods to quantitatively study the dynamics of plant and ecosystem processes in space and time, and on various scales. The non-invasive methods are used to study growth and transport as well as exchange processes between plants and their fluctuating environment. The institute is characterized by its active atmosphere with young scientists open to new ideas applying these ideas in a creative and interdisciplinary environment (http://www.fz-juelich.de/icg/icg-3/topics/).
 
A recently established research network (CROP.SENSe.net) between the University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich is dedicated to the development and deployment of novel sensor technologies to enable the assessment of the internal and external properties of crop plants. The network will quantify morphological and physiological characteristics of crop varieties using fast-measurement nondestructive scanning methods including high-throughput phenomics to improve crop management through precision farming. The network aims to develop new, and further improve existing, non- or minimally invasive sensor techniques for application, deployment and implementation in crop research, crop breeding and crop management (http://www.cropsense.uni-bonn.de/).
 
We are now seeking to fill a position at the doctoral student level on hyperspectral imaging of plant diseases.
 
Job description:
The candidate will be responsible for developing a dedicated multi-spectral sensor system to detect and quantify pathogen infection of Cercospora beticola on sugar beet leaves. The system will be used to screen and select phenotypes that have a resistance to the pathogen.
 
We are offering a 3-year position with an excellent working environment within the research network. The position will also be embedded in the institute's structured doctoral training programme including supervision by a doctoral committee and organized training in research and soft skills.
 
Qualifications and skills required:
Master's degree or equivalent in biology, physics, remote sensing, agriculture, image processing or a related discipline with an overall grade of at least "good"; knowledge of image-processing as well as the ability to apply optical techniques for feature extraction would be an advantage. We expect good verbal and written communication skills in German and English, and the willingness to interact within an interdisciplinary and international research environment.
 
For further information visit our website:
http://www.fz-juelich.de/icg/icg-3/ or contact Dr. habil. U. Rascher, e-mail: u.rascher@fz-juelich.de or Dr. M. Jansen, e-mail: m.jansen@fz-juelich.de
 
Salary and social benefits will conform to the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the German Civil Service (TVöD, 13/2). Depending on the candidate's profile and the subject of his/her PhD thesis an additional allowance may be granted.
 
Equal opportunities is a cornerstone of our staff policy at Forschungszentrum Jülich, for which we have received the "TOTAL E-QUALITY" Award. Applications from women are therefore particularly welcome. We also welcome applications from disabled persons.
 
Please send your application by August 06, 2010, quoting the reference code D053/2010, to: