Doctoral Researcher (m/f/d) (Computer Vision and Marine Data Science)

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is a foundation under public law jointly financed by the Federal Republic of Germany (90%) and the State of Schleswig-Holstein (10%). It is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine research.

Through our research and our commitment to the transfer of knowledge and technology, we contribute significantly to the preservation of the function and protection of the ocean for future generations.

The research group Plankton Imaging Technology and Deep-Sea Zooplankton Ecology at GEOMAR (in cooperation with Kiel University’s Marine Data Science Group) is offering a position as a

Doctoral Researcher (m/f/d) (Computer Vision and Marine Data Science)
in the project “MegaRays - Deciphering Underwater Light Fields for 3D Plankton Characterization”

starting at the earliest possible date. 

The position is offered for a duration of 3 years, with the possibility of extension. In the first year, the successful candidate will be employed by GEOMAR at 75%, supplemented by a 25% contract at Kiel University. Years two and three are fully funded at 100% (pay grade E13 according to the collective agreement for the public sector, TVöD, depending on experience).

The position offers the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in natural or computer science as a member of the “Helmholtz School for Marine Data Science” (MarDATA). MarDATA’s interdisciplinary focus spans supercomputing, modeling, (bio)informatics, robotics, statistics, and big data methodologies. Doctoral researchers benefit from a structured training program that promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration and provides in-depth scientific insight as well as a systematic approach to marine data science. For more information, visit: https://www.mardata.de/.

Job Description:

As part of the MarDATA doctoral network, the project “MegaRays - Deciphering Underwater Light Fields for 3D Plankton Characterization” aims at exploring the use of underwater light field cameras for observing and characterizing plankton organisms (zooplankton) in the ocean. Light field cameras deviate from off-the-shelf cameras in that all rays have to pass through an extra microlens array that changes their direction. Effectively, this means photographing the object from several slightly different perspectives, allowing focussing or 3D reasoning after image capture. The effects intertwine with refraction at the underwater housing and light-medium interaction in front of the camera. 

The successful applicant will

• combine mathematical models for light field cameras and physical principles of refraction and underwater light propagation in order to simulate the image formation process      
• employ and extend methods of inverse rendering to visually reconstruct plankton from light field images
• develop workflows to extract ecological variables from light field imagery
• investigate, how automated classification can be improved by the extra 3D or raw information contained in light field images
• develop techniques for geometric co-calibration of light field images with a bioluminescence-sensitive camera in order to create 3D plankton models of bioluminescent deep-sea organisms            

It is also expected that the successful applicant will create and contribute to creation and presentation of scientific publications, develop software for calibration, simulation and reconstruction, and is willing to perform and support data acquisition in the lab or at sea during scientific research cruises and collaborate with colleagues from other disciplines as well as the marine technology.

Qualification:

Required:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science or a related field
• documented successful participation in classes in Computer Vision
• Profound knowledge in programming
• Ability to use Computer Vision and Machine Learning libraries on HPC-machines
• very good English skills (written and spoken)

If the university degree has not yet been completed at the time of application, credible evidence must be provided that the degree can be obtained by the start date specified above, and the certificate must be submitted by that date.

Desirable:

• co-authored publication(s) with a focus on computer vision 
• documented experience in machine learning for computer vision
• experience with camera calibration and real data
• knowledge in Marine Biology

As part of the MarDATA program, the successful candidate will become a member of both the Plankton Imaging Group at GEOMAR and the Marine Data Science Group at Kiel University. 

At a workplace, directly on the Kiel Fjord with many leisure and recreational opportunities, we offer you:

• Good conditions for work-life balance: We offer, among other things, the possibility of mobile working and individual working time arrangements, vacation courses for the children of our employees, and good support in finding a place in a daycare center at the Kiel site 
• Support services for professional and personal life situations
• An exciting work environment with the opportunity to provide important impetus for the development of sustainable solutions
• Exciting topics in an international environment
• Work in the field of marine and climate research, a forward-looking area with social significance
• Currently 30 vacation days + additional time off at Christmas and New Year's Eve 
• Corporate Benefits for employees
• Company pension plan and capital-forming benefits

The position is available for a funding period of 3 years. The salary depends on qualification and could be up to the class E13 TVöD-Bund of the German tariff for public employees (the salary at Kiel university is based on TV-L). This is a full-time position (first year two contracts / GEOMAR and Kiel university). The position can not be split. Flexible working models are in principle possible.

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel seeks to increase the proportion of female scientists and explicitly encourages qualified female academics to apply. GEOMAR is an equal opportunity employer and encourages scientists with disabilities to apply. Qualified disabled applicants will receive preference in the application process.

Please send your application for this post not later than 10^th November 2026 under the following link:

Online application

We would appreciate it if you could indicate how you became aware of this position.

As soon as the selection procedure has finished, all your application data will be removed according to data protection regulation.

For further information regarding the position and research unit please contact Dr. Jan Taucher (GEOMAR, jtaucher(at)geomar.de) or Dr. David Nakath (Kiel University, dna(at)cs.uni-kiel.de)

However, we will answer all your questions if you send us an e-mail to bewerbung(at)geomar.de. In doing so, please refer to the keyword “MarDATA MegaRays”.

For further information on GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel or the Helmholtz Association, please visit www.geomar.de or www.helmholtz.de.

GEOMAR is committed to an objective and non-discriminatory personnel selection. Our job advertisements address all people. We expressly renounce the submission of application photos.