The Section Hydrology at the GFZ searches for a PhD Researcher to work in the BMBF funded junior research group HI-CliF. You will be a part of the trans-disciplinary junior research group on Health Impacts of Floods, with a specific focus on developing a data-driven mechanistic model combining a contaminant transport model with exposure pathways and susceptibility/impact model on a city-level in Vietnam. You will carry out a unique blend of interdisciplinary research from hydrology and epidemiology to understand the pathways leading to the spread enteric diseases.

The project will be led by Dr. Nivedita Sairam, Section Hydrology, German Research Center for Geosciences, Potsdam and mentored by Dr. rer. biol. hum. Michaela Coenen, Chair for Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich. Case study work in Vietnam will be supported by Professor. Hong Quan Nguyen, Director at Institute for Circular Economy Development (ICED), Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh city.

We seek a post-doctoral researcher with interest and expertise in developing epidemiological models, and flood-related impact models. The postdoc researcher is expected to develop impact models for the spread of enteric diseases in Vietnam and integrate the health impact model into a flood risk model chain. 

The successful candidate should have the interest and ability to participate in collaborative and transdisciplinary research activities and discussions in the field of health and risk modelling. The candidate is also expected to closely collaborate with interdisciplinary, external partners, and present, publish and communicate research results at scientific meetings and in Scholarly journals.

Your responsibilities:

• Organise field work campaigns in Vietnam to determine sources of contamination (in collaboration with local partners and laboratories). 
• Organise surveys for data collection on the topic flood and health, including development of survey design, questionnaire formulation organizing field work campaigns in Germany and Vietnam. 
• Develop and apply health impact model for Vietnam including writing well-documented, reusable code (Python or R)
• Collaborate closely with external partners in a transdisciplinary context.
• Actively participate in organizing international Stakeholder meetings, workshops/summer schools, preparation of project reports.
• Present, publish and communicate research results at scientific meetings and in scholarly journals (including systematic reviews, meta-analysis)

Your qualifications:

• Master`s degree or equivalent, PhD on topics relating to water quality and epidemiology
• Demonstrated relevant expertise in the form of peer-reviewed publications, PhD dissertation and projects
• Ability to work independently, as well as contribute to and lead certain activities of the research group
• Good writing and presentation skills - experience in writing peer-reviewed research articles are mandatory
• Interpersonal skills to engage with international stakeholders for communicating research and obtaining feedback
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English; German language command is helpful but not mandatory