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PhD Thesis (f/m/x) - Impact of the atmosphere on ship navigation
Job Description
Req ID:  1490
Place of work:  Neustrelitz
Starting date:  ab sofort
Career level:  Doctorate
Type of employment:  Part time
Duration of contract:  3 Jahre

Remuneration: Remuneration is in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector - Federal Government (TVöD-Bund)

Enter the fascinating world of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V.; DLR) and help shape the future through research and innovation! We offer an exciting and inspiring working environment driven by the expertise and curiosity of our 11,000 employees from 100 nations and our unique infrastructure. Together, we develop sustainable technologies and thus contribute to finding solutions to global challenges. Would you like to join us in addressing this major future challenge? Then this is your place!

The Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics focusses on the properties and interactions of the coupled ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere (ITM) system and how it is driven by energy inputs from the sun and the underlying atmosphere. Within this field of research, the Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics at the Neustrelitz site in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania focusses on research into space weather. The term space weather refers to the time-varying conditions on the sun and in the solar wind and their effect on the ITM system.

What to expect
The group Modelling and Investigation of Ionospheric Processes (MIP) deals with both the modelling of the ionosphere and the impact of atmospheric processes on the ionosphere. In a current project of application-oriented excellence research MV, we are investigating the impact of the atmosphere on the land-based radio navigation system Ranging-Mode (R-Mode) for shipping. R-Mode was developed at the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation and is a backup system for the navigation with global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) also known as global positioning system (GPS). In order to improve the accuracy of R-Mode, it is important to better understand radio wave propagation in the lower ionosphere, which is strongly impacted by atmospheric processes.

In this project you will investigate the impact of the atmosphere and ionosphere on radio wave propagation and thus contribute to the safety of ship navigation.
 
Your tasks

  • Familiarize yourself with the research environment, including data sets and methods
  • Statistically analyses R-mode considering various atmospheric processes
  • Identification of causes for insufficient accuracy of R-mode
  • Active participation in the further development of an empirical model of the lower ionosphere based on your results
  • Publication of the results in scientific journals and presentation of the research results at international conferences
     

Your profile

  • Completed university Master’s degree in natural sciences (e.g. physics) or in a field relevant to the position with an appropriate technical basis for a doctorate in physics
  • Strong motivation and interest in the topics of radio wave propagation and atmospheric dynamics, ideally knowledge of ionospheric physics and/or atmospheric sciences
  • Experience in data analysis and programming skills
  • Fluent written and spoken English
  • Ability to work independently and in a team
  • Present your scientific findings at national and international conferences  

We offer

DLR stands for diversity, appreciation and equality for all people. We promote independent work and the individual development of our employees both personally and professionally. To this end, we offer numerous training and development opportunities. Equal opportunities are of particular importance to us, which is why we want to increase the proportion of women in science and management in particular. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are qualified.

We look forward to getting to know you!

If you have any questions about this position (Vacancy-ID 1490) please contact:

Dr. Frank Heymann
Tel.: +49 3981 480 217
Apply now