The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) is a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF) and funded by federal and state governments. AWI focuses on polar and marine research in a variety of disciplines such as biology, oceanography, geology, geochemistry, and geophysics, thus allowing multidisciplinary approaches to scientific goals.
Postdoc "Interferometric SAR Data Processing and Analysis for Implementation in the 3D-ABC Foundation Model" (m/f/d)
Background
The large collaborative project ‘3D-ABC’, funded for 3 years by the Helmholtz Foundation Model Initiative, will focus on the development of a Foundation Model combining large remote sensing and field datasets, large-scale AI, generative AI, and Exascale HPC to detect, quantify, and characterize key parameters of the global carbon cycle at high spatial resolution with a focus on above and below ground terrestrial carbon stocks.
3D-ABC is led by AWI and combines the resources and expertise from 6 HGF centres (AWI, GFZ, UFZ, DLR, FZJ, and HZDR). It will build strongly on HGF-associated datasets including products from the TanDEM-X radar mission, large airborne and field-based LiDAR datasets, and process-based models, as well as other openly available remote sensing and field datasets. The diverse data will be combined to facilitate 8 downstream tasks, from land cover change and forest height, to increasingly demanding tasks such as above-ground biomass, soil carbon storage, and model uncertainty ranges, to eventually complex tasks targeting carbon impacts of disturbances, forest productivity, and carbon uptake. Training the 3D-ABC Foundation Model involves extremely large volumes of data and computational resources, requiring High Performance Computing (HPC) on the JUWELS HPC system and the upcoming first European Exascale supercomputer, JUPITER (both at FZJ) to facilitate exceptionally high performance for AI training and deployment at the scale needed for 3D-ABC.
The focus of this postdoc position is on processing interferometric TanDEM-X data towards their ingestion into the 3D-ABC Foundation Model, analysing the results, and supporting the development and validation of the forest height and biomass downstream tasks of the Foundation Model. You will also be responsible for managing a suitable and efficient transfer of the processed data for FM training to the AI and HPC teams in the 3D-ABC consortium. Important requirements are experience in handling, processing and analyzing large-scale interferometric synthetic aperture radar data, programming, and basic knowledge of AI processing methods.
Your Tasks
· Interpretation of the requirements for the training of the 3D-ABC model and downstream task computations in terms of TanDEM-X data characteristics and processing requirements in forest areas for height and biomass mapping and in permafrost areas for soil conditions
· Retrieve, download from DLR archives, store, and process the suitable TanDEM-X data up to the interferometric coherence and the needed auxiliary data for each scene within the coverage of interest, in the format required by the 3D-ABC implementation
· Transfer efficiently the processing results between processing facilities for FM training to the AI and HPC teams in the 3D-ABC consortium
· Develop the required software data management and processing interfaces
· Analyse the results and support the development and validation of the forest and permafrost downstream tasks
· During the full-time stays at the Microwaves and Radar Institute (DLR Oberpfaffenhofen), the postdoc will be hosted by the PolInSAR research group -Radar Concepts department, and will be able to use the available hardware (e.g. processing servers, Terrabyte platform, etc.) and software resources
Your Profile
· Completed doctoral degree in remote sensing, signal processing, computer science, or other closely related fields
· Experience in handling, processing, and analysing large amount of data, especially large-scale remote sensing SAR image sets
· Experience in programming and in automation of image data processing
· Interest in the development of interferometric SAR data sets for large-scale AI and FM training
· Basic knowledge of AI processing methods and dataset requirements
· Relevant publication record and experience presenting scientific results at international level
· Ability and willingness to publish research results in the peer-review literature
· Ability and willingness to work focused, independently, and cooperatively in a large team and with international partners
· Very good English knowledge (approximately equivalent to CEFR level B1)
· Experience in the presentation of results at international conferences
Preferred Qualifications and Skills
· Experience in SAR interferometric data understanding and inversion
· Experience in Deep Learning and Foundation Models
· Prior experience with interferometric SAR data sets in forest regions
· German language knowledge
Further Information
For any questions you may have, you are very welcome to get in touch with Prof. Dr. Guido Grosse (guido.grosse@awi.de; 0331-58174-5400).
This is a full-time position with a starting date desired as early as possible funded under a fixed-term contract until May 31st 2027. The salary will be paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federation (Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes, TVöD Bund), up to salary level 13. The place of employment will be in Potsdam but extended full-time research stays for the majority of the duration are planned at DLR in Munich.
The AWI is characterized by
· our scientific success - excellent research
· collaboration and cooperation - intra-institute, national and international, interdisciplinary
· opportunities to develop - on the job and towards other positions
· an international environment - everyday contact with people from all over the world
· flexible working hours and the possibility of mobile working up to 50% of regular working hours
· health promotion and company fitness with Hansefit and Wellhub
· support services and a culture of reconciling work and family
· occupational pension provision (VBL)
AWI values diversity and actively promotes gender parity, as well as an open, inclusive environment that provides equal opportunities. We are convinced that diverse teams and a variety of perspectives enrich our work and our daily collaboration. In a continuous process of learning and reflection, we aim to ensure that all our employees can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from qualified people regardless of binary and non-binary genders, race and nationality, ethnic and social background, religion, age, physical abilities, neurodivergence, sexual orientation, and other identities.
Applicants with disabilities will be given preference when equal qualifications are present.
AWI fosters work-family compatibility in various ways and has received several awards as a result of this commitment. And as a new international member of our team, you can be sure that we will help you settle in. Our Family Office and International Office will be glad to support you, even before you start at AWI.
We look forward to your application!
Please submit your application by June 5th 2025, exclusively online.
Reference number: 25/51/G/Geo-b
