The Remote Sensing research group of TU Wien’s Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation invites for applications to a project-assistant position on drought related research in Southeast African regions. Main topics will follow the Austrian Development Agency funded project Enhancing Drought Early Warning in Mozambique through Satellite Soil Moisture Data to support food security in the context of climate change (DrySAT). We offer a two-year position to be filled as soon as possible.

About the DrySAT project

In Mozambique, agriculture is one of the most important socioeconomic sectors. Despite its unquestionable relevance, the sector is hampered by a range of challenges including increased climate risks with relevance to droughts. Drought early warning and early action and Forecast based Financing (FbF, funding for early action based on indicators and risks) are still in development in Mozambique and are often based on classic indicators such as precipitation. It is within this context that the DrySAT project will develop tools using satellite-based soil moisture data to improve drought early warning and early action and increasing efficiency of agricultural practices. Our research group will develop novel soil moisture and vegetation products and indicators based on radar data from Metop ASCAT and Sentinel-1. The project is a collaboration with the Eduardo Mondlane University / Mozambique, the Mozambican Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADER), the Red Cross movement and the World Food Programme of the United Nations (UN-WFP).

Your profile

To support our team within this project, we are looking for a project assistant with an academic degree in Earth or environmental sciences, and experience and interest in applied aspects of microwave remote sensing. You are expected to have excellent communication skills in English. Furthermore, experience in scripting (either Python, R or MatLab) is required. You will be supporting the team in developing new soil moisture and vegetation based indicators and thresholds, linking them to drought impacts. We expect you to be comfortable to work both in a team and independently. You will have room for your own ambitions within the frame of the projects’ topics, including pursuing a PhD degree.

Workplace and team

You will be working in the Remote Sensing research group at the Department for Geodesy and Geoinfomation. Our group is one of the world's leading research institutes on remote sensing of soil moisture and vegetation, both in algorithmic development and applications. The group consists of PhDs, post-docs and senior scientists, led by Professor Wolfgang Wagner. We have a flat hierarchy, with freedom to discuss and implement your own ideas during regular team meetings. We offer possibilities for collaboration with external national and international project partners and for field work. TU Wien is located close to the city centre, has access to reliable public transportation and is an equal opportunity employer.

Terms of employment

TU Wien and the research group offer flexible working hours including home office, health insurance and  parental leave. The salary for this position is based on the Austrian regulations for university staff. The monthly minimum gross salary ranges between € 1.105,10 (BSc level) for a 20 h/week employment and € 3058,60 (MSc level) for a 40h/week employment. The monthly salary is paid 14 times per year.

Interested?

If this job opportunity fits your career development plans, we are looking forward to receiving your application in English (cover letter, CV, relevant publications and references) in one single PDF file via e-mail with the subject ‘Project-assistant drought monitoring’ to rs-sek@geo.tuwien.ac.at

Candidate selection will start on January 15th, 2023 and will continue until a suitable candidate is found. TU Wien will not refund any cost occurred in the course of an application.

Dr. Mariette Vreugdenhil

TU Wien

Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation

Research Unit Remote Sensing

Wiedner Hauptstraße 8/E 120-01

1040 Vienna

Austria

http://www.geo.tuwien.ac.at