A position for a PhD student is available in the IMPETUS project (An integrated approach to the efficient management of scarce water resources in West Africa).

Globally we are confronted with increasing scarcity of water resources in terms of quantity and quality. Water use efficiency must be increased through improved crop and irrigation management in semi-arid as wells as sub-humid areas. The target areas are Benin (West Africa) and Marocco. The project has an interdisciplinary structure which requires close cooperation with partners from other EU member states as well as research institutes in India, Pakistan, Dubai and Bangladesh.

Your task is the testing and validation of two crop growth models for rainfed and irrigated crops with emphasis on rice and yam cropping. Field data are avaiable from previous field experiments by partner organisations and trials carried out within the first six years of the project.

We are looking for a person, which is highly motivated to work in an interdisciplinary team, has an excellent Master degree, diploma or equivalent degree in agriculture, geography, ecology or environmental science preferably with a background in crop production and/or soil science and in the application of simulation models.

Candidates should be interested in working at the soil-plant interface using numerical models. Fluency in French and experience in programming (Fortran, C++) is desirable, but not a prerequisite. The position is paid according to the German regulations TVL-EG13 with 20.5 working hours per week. The contract will be initially limited to two years. The candidate has the possibility to defend a Ph.D. thesis and to obtain a PhD degree, when the formal requirements are met. Applications of handicapped persons will be favoured when all other qualifications are equal.

Applications (CV including photograph, diploma/masters, statement of research interests and achievements) should be sent until June 10, 2007 to:

Dr. Thomas Gaiser
C/o Institute of Crop Science and Resource Protection
University of Bonn D-53115 Bonn,
Germany
Email:

For further information concerning the project visit the BIOSAFOR website www.impetus.uni-koeln.de